President Obama visits San Bernardino shooting victims and families

Barack Obama has had a private meeting with families of the 14 people killed in the shooting attack in San Bernardino, hailing them as representative of the “unity and love” of America. For the protection of AP and its licensors, content may not be copied, altered orredistributed in any form.

On December 2, Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik opened fire on a holiday gathering at the Regional Inland Center with long rifles killing 14 people and injuring 17 others.

Obama spoke at a classroom at Indian Springs High school after a nearly-three hour meeting with the families of the victims and first responders. Both were killed in a shootout with police.

The FBI, which is investigating the case as an act of terrorism, is working to determine the motive behind the attack.

The subsequent investigation has revealed that Farook, a US citizen, and Malik, who entered the USA on a so-called fiancee visa, had been plotting an attack for months. The couple pledged allegiance to a leader of the Islamic State group on Facebook, moments before the shooting, authorities said.

U.S. President Barack Obama departs after delivering remarks on the recent shootings in San Bernardi …

A supervisor for San Bernardino county criticized the President during the visit. Nine men and five women, ranging in age from 26 to 60, were killed.

“It was as if he was a member of our family”. Air Force One landed at San Bernardino International Airport at 7:34 p.m., where the president and first lady soon descended the plane’s stairs.

On the way to Hawaii, Obama stopped in Southern California to carry out what has become one of the grimmest rituals of his presidency: consoling the grieving relatives of victims of gun violence.

“Clearly, this is not the most important event that’s taking place in the White House today”, Obama said to start the press conference.

The president usually spends his vacation time in Hawaii, the island state where he was born, frequenting the island’s golf courses, dining out, hiking, going to the beach and treating himself and his kids to shave ice, a frozen dessert that looks like a snow cone.

He is scheduled to return to the White House in early January to begin his final year in office.