US President Joe Biden ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in the White House and military bases until Saturday to mourn the victims of the Highland Park, Illinois shooting.
Following the shooting during the Independence Day ceremonial rally in the suburbs of Chicago in Illinois, killing 6 people and wounding 30, The US president said on Tuesday that the nation should come together in mourning the loss of life on America’s birthday celebration.
“As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of gun violence perpetrated on our Independence Day, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff,” Biden said in a statement.
The flag-lowering order applies to the White House, all federal buildings, military bases, and overseas embassies and consulates, and it will remain in effect until next Saturday.
In a statement Monday, Biden said he and his wife were“shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community,” while pointing to the signing of the first major gun reform legislation passed in decades last month as a step in the right direction. He indicated that he is still “not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence.”
On Monday, police announced that at least six people died and 24 were injured in a shooting at a July Fourth parade in the suburbs of Chicago of Highland Park.
The parade started around 10 a.m. but it was suddenly halted about 10 minutes later after shots were fired. Police told people: “Everybody disperse, please. It is not safe to be here.”
Highland Park Police issued a statement early Monday afternoon, pointing out that five people had been killed and 19 people were taken to hospitals, however, those numbers were revised soon after at the news conference.
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