Biden declares national mourning after Texas mall shooting

This was announced on Sunday by US President Joe Biden. five days of national mourning following Saturday’s shooting at Allen Mallin Texas, which killed eight people and the attacker.

“As a sign of respect for the victims of senseless acts of violence (…) I order usa flag at half mast in the White House and in all public buildings and lands,” the president said in a statement.

Also at all military posts and naval bases, as well as embassies and other official facilities abroad before sunset on May 11, he explained.

One day after the last mass shooting in the USA The identity of the attacker and motives are still unknown. this led him to drive up to the mall and indiscriminately shoot people who were shopping.

At least eight people died, including a 5-year-old boyand seven more were wounded, some of them seriously.

The shooter was apprehended by a local police officer who was at the Allen Premium Outlets mall when he heard the gunshots. It is not yet known how many minutes the perpetrator of the last massacre, which once again shocked American society, acted.

“Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are working closely to investigate this attack, and I have directed federal agencies to provide all necessary support,” Biden said Sunday.

Although the identity of the attacker is unknown, Biden confirmed that he was wearing tactical gear and armed with an AR-15 assault weapon.one of the most popular rifles in the United States and has been used in many violent incidents in recent years.

Biden recalled that this year There have already been about 200 mass shootings in the United States. and that, according to reliable estimates, more than 14,000 Americans died.

“The leading cause of death for American children is gun violence,” Biden said after learning that at least one of the victims of the Allen massacre is a five-year-old child.

The President once again asked Congress to take action to contain the arms epidemic. “I once again ask Congress to send me a bill to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,” he said.

Biden also asked that the law contain measures such as universal background checks, the requirement for the safe storage of weapons, or the end of the immunity of gun manufacturers.

“We need to act more and faster to save lives. Too many families have empty chairs at dinner tables (…) and Republican members of Congress can no longer look at this epidemic with a shrug,” he said.

There have been at least 199 mass shootings in the United States this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as those in which four or more people die, not counting the perpetrator of the assault.