Obama laments Boulder shooting, says 'once-in-a-century pandemic' can't be only reason such violence slows

Former President Barack Obama on Tuesday issued a statement in response to Monday's mass shooting at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, where 10 people were killed. A suspect is in custody and has been charged with 10 counts of murder.

Obama lamented the violence, but also called for renewed gun control efforts. "Because in addition to grief, we are also in a deep, familiar outrage that we as a nation continue to tolerate these kinds of random, senseless acts day in and day out without taking any significant action," he said.

He urged "those with the power to fight this epidemic of gun violence to do so," because "a once-in-a-century pandemic cannot be the only thing that slows mass shootings in this country," he said, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic that has contributed to a lower-than-usual number of shootings over the past year. "We shouldn't have to choose between one type of tragedy and another," he said. Read the full statement below. Tim O'Donnell

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