President Barack Obama addressed the White House press corps Thursday night, after the tragic Oregon shooting which killed nine people in Umpqua Community College.
The Oregon shooting is believed to be another religion-related shooting incident, with the gunman targeting Christians, specifically, CNN reported.
During his speech, the president expressed his anger and frustration over the Oregon shooting incident.
"I said each time we see one of these mass shootings, our thoughts and prayers are not enough. It's not enough," Obama said. "It does not capture the heartache and grief and anger that we should feel. And it does nothing to prevent this carnage from being inflicted someplace else in America - next week, or a couple of months from now."
Obama pointed out that the States is the only first world country in the world that sees this kind of incidents happen just months apart.
He also took a shot at media reportage that takes the focus away from the real issues whenever a mass shooting incident happens.
"Somebody, somewhere will comment and say, 'Obama politicized this issue.' Well, this is something we should politicize," the president said. "It is relevant to our common life together, to the body politic."
"I'd ask the American people to think about how they can get our government to change these laws, and to save lives, and to let young people grow up," he added.
Obama also asked gun owners to reflect on their views about stricter gun policies.
"Each time this happens I am going to say that we can actually do something about it, but we're going to have to change our laws save lives, and to let young people grow up," he said.
"I hope and pray that I don't have to come out again during my tenure as President to offer my condolences to families in these circumstances," Obama told the press. "But based on my experience as president, I can't guarantee that. And that's terrible to say. And it can change."
Meanwhile, Chris Mintz, a 30-year-old military veteran is widely regarded as a hero for trying to block a door in the school, to keep the gunman from coming in.
Even after being shot, Mintz thought of nothing but to save others and thought of his son, 3-year-old Tyrik.
"He gets shot three times, hits the floor," Mintz' aunt, Wanda Mintz told CNN. "Looks up at the gunman and says, 'It's my son's birthday today,'"
The gunman, showing no mercy, shot the military vet a couple of times more.
Mintz sustained a broken leg, among his other injuries, which could take a while to heal and rehabilitate.
"He's going to have to learn to walk again," said Mintz' cousin, Ariana Earnhardt.
The gunman, identified as Chris Harper Mercer, 26, killed nine people and injured nine others after he opened fire at the said community college.
