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Obama, Romney pause campaign, offer comfort in wake of shootings
The killing of at least a dozen people in Colorado who were attending a screening of the latest Batman movie has stunned the political world, leading to a pause in campaigning on the presidential trail.
President Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney both made adjustments to their campaign schedules because of the tragedy, with Obama canceling a second campaign event in Florida and both men making changes to their advertising.
“For those parents who may not be so lucky, we have to embrace them and let them know we will be there for them as a nation,” Obama said before leading the crowd in a moment of silence.
Romney also turned his attention to the shootings in Colorado when he made an address in New Hampshire, another swing state.
"Our hearts break with the sadness of this unspeakable tragedy," Romney said. "Ann and I join the president and first lady and all Americans in offering our deepest condolences to those whose lives were shattered in a few moments of evil."
Both campaigns pulled all their political ads off the air in Colorado. The pro-Obama super-PAC, Priorities USA, also said it would withdraw ads, including a Spanish-language one set to debut Friday.
Vice President Biden, first lady Michelle Obama and Ann Romney also have canceled campaign events for the day.
Authorities have arrested a lone suspect identified in news reports as James Holmes, 24, in the shootings in Aurora.
Sometime after midnight, the shooter entered the movie theater through an emergency exit at a showing of “The Dark Knight Rises,” the latest movie in the Batman franchise.
Reports suggest people in the crowded theater initially did not realize what was happening as the shooter let off a gas canister that filled the theater with smoke. According to The Washington Post, authorities believe the gunman was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and two handguns during the attack.
Police also evacuated Holmes's apartment building and several other complexes in the area after searching it and finding it was booby trapped, according to published reports.
The president was briefed on the shootings this morning by Homeland Security adviser John Brennan. Obama has spoken with the mayor of Aurora and ordered his administration to do "everything it can to support the people of Aurora in this extraordinarily difficult time."
Obama was headed back to Washington for continued briefings.
Even before Obama canceled his second campaign event of the day, lawmakers, political operatives, congressional committees and campaign organizations simultaneously called an unofficial timeout from pushing their messages.
On a normal day, dozens of emails flood reporters' inboxes from groups with coordinated messages. On Friday, Washington was singularly focused on the Colorado massacre.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) released a statement saying he stood with the president in condemning this “incomprehensible evil.”
“Confronted with incomprehensible evil, Americans pull together and embrace our national family more tightly,” he said. “I join President Obama, and every American, in sending my thoughts and prayers to the victims of this awful tragedy. We will all stand with them, as one nation, in the days ahead.”
And Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) added a personal touch to a tweet, saying that as a mother, the shooting hits close to home.
“As a mom, I keep thinking, ‘My kids go to the movies all the time,’ ” she said. “Heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, senseless tragedy in #Aurora, CO.”
White House press secretary Jay Carney said earlier in the day that Obama was deeply saddened by the news, according to a White House pool report.
Obama "mentioned to me how heavy his heart is, the pain he understands the parents and loved ones must be suffering," Carney said. "Children across America go to movies, as do adults. It's just a terrible tragedy. He feels that deeply," he said.
Asked about gun laws, Carney said, "I would say, as you know, the president believes we need to take commonsense measures that protect the Second Amendment rights of Americans while ensuring that those who should not have guns under existing laws do not get them."
According to a White House pool report, Carney went on to say that the administration was "making progress in that regard in terms of improving the volume and quality of information on background checks but I have nothing additional on that for you. This is obviously a recent event."
Early reports estimate at least 12 dead and another 50 hospitalized with injuries after the shootings.
Colorado Sen. Mark Udall (D) said his staff were in “close contact with officials on the ground and will offer any federal resources needed.”
Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D), whose 7th district includes most of Aurora, said he was "stunned and furious" at the news.
"Colorado is not a violent place, but we have some violent people. We are a strong and resilient community, and we will lean on each other in the days, weeks and months to come," he said.
— Justin Sink and Amie Parnes contributed to this report.
— Posted at 9:55 a.m. and has been updated.
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