Updated: 6:40am – In an address following the shooting on Thursday, US President Donald Trump did not mention the word “gun” or “firearm” once.
He said he was “committed to working with state and local leaders to help secure our schools and tackle the difficult issue of mental health”.
The Florida suspect reportedly sought psychological services at a clinic at some point, and accounts from former classmates paint a picture of a 19-year-old who was a social outcast with violent tendencies.
However, on Friday the White House was refusing to release a photo of Mr Trump signing a law last year that made it easier for people with mental health issues to buy guns.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, who has received a total of 12 requests for the image from CBS News, said: “We don’t plan to release the picture at this time.”
The legislation passed by Mr Trump in February last year repealed a rule that required people receiving mental health benefits to be entered into an FBI database.
The president tweeted that he was planning to visit Parkland, Florida, on Friday to “meet with some of the bravest people on Earth”. He did say when he was due to arrive.
-RNZ
Featured image: US President Donald Trump speaks from the White House about the Florida school shooting. “Our nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones in the shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida,” he said. Photo: AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGAN
