Here is the statement:
Michelle
and I were deeply saddened to learn of the shooting that tragically took so
many lives in Wisconsin. At this difficult time, the people of Oak Creek
must know that the American people have them in our thoughts and prayers,
and our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who were killed
and wounded. My Administration will provide whatever support is necessary to
the officials who are responding to this tragic shooting and moving forward
with an investigation. As we mourn this loss which took place at a house of
worship, we are reminded how much our country has been enriched by Sikhs,
who are a part of our broader American family.
"All
of us are heart-broken by what happened," Mr Obama told reporters at the
White House a day after a gunman opened fire on Sikh worshippers preparing
for religious services, killing six before he was shot dead by a police
officer.
But when asked whether he would push for further gun-control measures in the
wake of the shootings, Mr Obama said only that he wanted to bring together
leaders at all levels of American society to examine ways to curb gun
violence.
That echoed his pledge last month in a speech in New Orleans to work broadly
to "arrive at a consensus" on the contentious issue after a deadly Colorado
shooting spree highlighted the problem in an election year.
Like his earlier comments, Mr Obama offered no timetable or specifics for
such discussions and did not call outright for tighter gun control laws.
Talk of reining in America's gun culture is considered politically risky for
Mr Obama, who is locked in a tight race against Republican challenger Mitt
Romney for November election.
"All of us recognise that these kinds of terrible, tragic events are
happening with too much regularity for us not to do some soul searching to
examine additional ways that we can reduce violence," Mr Obama said at an
Oval Office ceremony to sign an unrelated bill.
He added: "As I've already said, there are a lot of elements involved in
it." The Democratic president has made a point of emphasising his support
for the US Constitution's Second Amendment, which covers the right to bear
arms.
White House spokesman Jay Carney reiterated, however, that Mr Obama remained
in favour of renewing an assault weapons ban but pointed out "there has been
reluctance by Congress" to pass it.
Mr Obama said the FBI was still investigating the temple shooting, but if it
turned out it was ethnically motivated, the American people would
"immediately recoil."
"It would be very important for us to reaffirm once again that in this
country, regardless of what we look like, where we come from, who we
worship, we are all one people," he said.
Police identified the Wisconsin gunman as Wade Michael Page, a 40-year-old
US Army veteran. A group that monitors extremists said he was a member of a
racist skinhead band.
In a show of respect for the victims of the shooting in a Milwaukee suburb
of Oak Creek, Mr Obama ordered flags at all US government facilities at home
and abroad to be flown at half staff until sunset on Friday.
Ann
and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the victims of today's shooting in
Wisconsin. This was a senseless act of violence and a tragedy that should
never befall any house of worship.
Our hearts are with the victims, their
families, and the entire Oak Creek Sikh community. We join Americans
everywhere in mourning those who lost their lives and in prayer for healing
in the difficult days ahead.
Presidential
candidate Mitt Romney has issued a statement too: