Biden: Congress has a moral obligation to act against gun violence

Former Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday morning Congress has “a moral obligation” to act following a mass shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 people dead.

“I grieve with the families across the country who have suffered loss due to gun violence. Congress has a moral obligation to take action and spare more families from this violence,” Biden tweeted.

I am at a loss for what more to say. I grieve with the families in Parkland today. I grieve with the families across the country who have suffered loss due to gun violence. Congress has a moral obligation to take action and spare more families from this violence.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) February 15, 2018

{mosads}Nikolas Cruz, 19, was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder Thursday morning after authorities said he opened fire in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, killing 17 people and injuring more than a dozen others.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that the AR-15 allegedly used in the shooting was legally purchased by Cruz, who had been kicked out of the school and flagged as a threat.

President Trump on Wednesday sent his condolences to victims of the shooting, and on Thursday suggested mental illness played a role in the incident.

“So many signs that the Florida shooter was mentally disturbed, even expelled from school for bad and erratic behavior,” Trump tweeted. 

“Neighbors and classmates knew he was a big problem. Must always report such instances to authorities, again and again!”

As reports of the death toll came in, a number of Democrats called on Congress to act to curb gun violence, while Republicans shared their thoughts and prayers with the victims and their families.

Biden has been mentioned as a potential Democratic candidate for the 2020 presidential election.