President meets with Roseburg shooting victims’ families
A pool report from Mark Baker of The Register-Guard of Eugene on Friday’s presidential visit in Roseburg:
President Barack Obama, bringing the sorrow of a nation on his back for the latest in a seemingly endless string of mass shootings in recent years, this one claiming the lives of nine and injuring nine others at Umpqua Community College a week ago, met with the families of the victims for almost an hour on Friday in the fine arts building at Roseburg High School.
Joined by Gov. Kate Brown and Roseburg Mayor Larry Rich, Obama gave brief remarks to a small contingent of press, allowed to wait in the school’s library during his visit, in a school courtyard.
“I’ve got some very strong feelings about this,” said a somber Obama, speaking so low he could barely be heard. “Because you’re reminded that this could happen to your child. Today is about the families.”
After landing on Air Force One in Eugene shortly before noon, the president landed at Roseburg Regional Airport on Marine One and was met by Gov. Kate Brown has he stepped off the helicopter.
The streets of Aviation Drive were lined with citizens, many of them with small U.S. flags in their hands, many of them opposed to the president’s visit after his statement calling for greater gun control last week in the hours after the shooting, as the president’s motorcade made its way to the high school a couple of miles away.
“I think he should stay away,” said Gary Shamblin, 66, of Winston, a couple of hours before Obama’s arrival, as a large “No Obama” sign was positioned on his 1935 International Harvester pickup. “He made it very plain, 15 minutes after the shooting happened. I think he politicized it. The bodies weren’t even cold yet.”
A smaller sign leaning against his pickup said “We support Sheriff Hanlin,” a reference to Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin, who has found himself politically embroiled in this tragedy since it’s been revealed he sent Vice President Joe Biden a letter in January 2013 , a month after the Sandy Hook school shootings in Newtown, Conn., saying he would not enforce action by Congress or the president that infringed upon the 2nd Amendment, the right to bear arms.
In the letter, Hanlin made a formal request to Biden “that you NOT tamper with or attempt to amend the 2nd Amendment. Gun control is NOT the answer to preventing heinous crimes like school shootings.”
In the wake of last week’s shooting, the social media hashtag #supporforhanlin popped up.
On a day when a memorial service was just beginning for Lucero Alcaraz, one of the nine killed just eight days ago, the president did not say anything about gun control.
Three more memorial services are scheduled for Saturday in Douglas County.
A White House spokeswoman said the president also had an opportunity afterward to meet with and to thank a group of first responders, including those who responded to the incident. He also met with college leaders to express his condolences to the school community.
Tune in for NewsChannel 21’s team coverage of the president’s visit to Roseburg on Fox @ 4 and on KTVZ-NBC at 5 and 6.
