Trump Mum on Gun Control as he Meets Florida Shooting Victims’ Kin

Trump plans to spend the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club, 60 km near Parkland, Florida, where the shooting occurred.

File image of President Donald Trump and First Lady, Melania Trump.

(Photo: Reuters)

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, on 16 February, visited the families of the Florida school shooting that left 17 dead. According to CBS, the President had also met with the victims of the shooting who were recovering at Broward Health North Hospital.

According to the report, Trump congratulated the work of the medical staff who were in-charge of the recovering victims and told one of the doctors: “The job they've done is incredible and I want to congratulate you.

Trump also reportedly met with the members of law enforcement at the Broward County Sheriff's office.

Trump’s visit to the hospital was originally scheduled for Sunday or Monday, but after discussing with Senator Marco Rubio, who accompanied him and his wife on the trip, the president said that he had decided to make the trip sooner.

CBS reports that along with the families of the victims, Trump also met with Officer Michael Leonard, who had apprehended the prime suspect in the attack. Accused Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old who has had a history of mental illness, has been booked into the main Broward County jail in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after being charged on Thursday with 17 counts of premeditated murder.

After Leonard recounted his story on how he had managed to catch Cruz, Trump commented:

That was so modest, I would have told it much differently. I would have said without me, they never would have found him.

President Donald Trump, as reported by <i>CBS</i>

The President plans to spend the weekend with his family at his Mar-a-Lago private club, located just 60 km north of Parkland, Florida, where the shooting occurred at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Efe news agency reported.

He visited the victims’ families after he drew criticism for not having made a public appearance immediately after the shooting on 14 February. However, he expressed grief over the tragedy a day later. In his White House address, he said:

To every parent, teacher and child who is hurting so badly, we are here for you, whatever you need, whatever we can do to ease your pain.

US President Donald Trump, as reported by <i>CBS</i>

“We are all joined together as one American family, and your suffering is our burden also. No child, no teacher should ever be in danger in an American school,” the CBS report quoted him as saying.

In his address, he also pledged to "tackle the difficult issue of mental health" and said he would hold a meeting with state Governors "where making our schools and our children safer will be our top priority".

Trump, however, made no mention of possible further gun-control measures.

The massacre, which also left 15 people injured, was the 18th school shooting in the US so far in 2018, according to non-profit gun control advocacy group ‘Everytown for Gun Safety’.

(With inputs from IANS and CBS)