PRESIDENT Joe Biden called for action tonight following Wednesday's tragedy where five people, including the gunman, died in a shooting outside of an Oklahoma hospital.
In his speech, Biden called for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
The president says that background checks and red flag laws need to increase and that the age to purchase guns should be raised to 21 years old.
“For God’s sake, how much more carnage are we willing to accept?” Biden asked.
The speech came hours before it was reported that New York lawmakers will raise the legal age to buy semiautomatic rifles from 18 to 21 and will likely pass legislation created to prevent mass shootings, according to Bloomberg.
Governor Kathy Hochul and other lawmakers said the bills are in response to the recent mass shootings across the country.
Tulsa's massacre occurred just eight days after a mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, left 19 pupils and two teachers dead, and 18 days after a shooter killed 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.
The legislation package will go to Hochul’s desk to be signed into law.
Read our Tulsa shooting live blog for the latest updates…
- Carsen Holaday
William Love 'sacrificed his life' for wife
Veteran William Love, 73, was the patient killed in the Tulsa shooting.
According to Love's family, he "heard the gunshots and knew his wife would not be able to escape the building on her own," per the Tulsa Police Department.
"He sacrificed his life for her."
Love is survived by his wife, his brother, daughters, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
- Carsen Holaday
Tulsa PD honors victims with tribute
The Tulsa Police Department posted a tribute "REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS" on their Facebook page.
The post details a biography for each of the four victims, and includes a fundraiser at the end.
"In our previous post, we identified the suspect in the Active Shooter Situation on 6/1/2022 inside the Natalie Building on the Saint Francis campus," the post reads.
"In this post, we'd like to take time to honor and remember the four victims who died."
- Carsen Holaday
New York to raise age to buy rifles
State lawmakers will raise the legal age to buy semiautomatic rifles from 18 to 21 and will likely pass legislation created to prevent mass shootings, Bloomberg reports.
Governor Kathy Hochul and other lawmakers said the bills are in response to the recent mass shootings across the country.
The legislation package will now go to Hochul's desk to be signed into law.
- Carsen Holaday
Four victims
Chief Franklin said that the victims who were not doctors "were there for medical service."
“They stood in the way and Louis gunned them down.”
The victims included two physicians, a receptionist, and a patient, according to Chief Franklin.
- Carsen Holaday
Wife of suspect called police
“The information that we currently have is that she did not know what was going to take place, but he contacted her… to let her know what he had done,” said Chief Franklin.
It is not yet clear if the shooter contacted his wife before or during the rampage.
- Carsen Holaday
Victim likely held door closed
Police Chief Franklin said he cannot confirm which victim held the door open for people to escape.
However, he said he believes that it was the patient victim who held a door closed.
- Carsen Holaday
Biden spoke in candlelit hall
Biden's emotional speech Thursday night came from Cross Hall.
Candles could be seen lined up behind the President to honor the victims of recent mass shootings.
Credit: AP - Carsen Holaday
Biden says everyday places are 'battlefields'
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden recently visited Uvalde, Texas, to pay their respects to the victims of the shooting at Robb Elementary.
"Standing there in that small town like so many other communities across America, I couldn't help but think there are too many other schools, too many other everyday places, that have become killing fields – battlefields – here in America," Biden said.
"For God's sake, how much more carnage are we willing to accept?"
- Carsen Holaday
Biden ended his speech in prayer
President Biden finished his speech by quoting Psalm 91.
"That's my prayer for all of you. God bless you."
- Carsen Holaday
Biden visited Irma Garcia's family
Joe and Jill Biden met with the four orphans and the family of Irma and Joe Garcia, the hero teacher that was killed in the Uvalde shooting and her husband who "died of heartbreak" days later.
"What would she say?" their children asked.
- Carsen Holaday
Turn outrage into action
Biden said American voters should turn their outrage into action and make this issue central to their vote, calling for bipartisan support on gun reform.
- Carsen Holaday
20 mass shootings since Uvalde
"We can't fail America again."
Biden said since Uvalde's shooting, 20 mass shootings have happened.
- Carsen Holaday
Biden illustrates devastation
"Imagine being that little girl in Uvalde," Biden said, referencing the child that smeared blood on her face during the elementary school shooting.
- Carsen Holaday
'Enough'
Biden says America needs to keep assault weapons out of the hands of murderers.
He said that parents at Uvalde had to identify children with DNA swabs.
- Carsen Holaday
Biden calls to ban assault weapons
"If we can't ban assault weapons, we should raise the age to purchase them from 18 to 21."
Biden says that America should increase background checks.
He calls for reinstating the ban on assault weapons.
- Carsen Holaday
Biden speaks about second amendment
"This is not about taking away people's guns," Biden said.
The President said he respects the culture and traditions of gun owners, but that the second amendment cannot be "unlimited."
- Carsen Holaday
Biden spent 'hours' honoring victims
Biden said on Memorial Day he memorialized veterans at Arlington National Cemetary.
The day before, he had visited Uvalde to honor the victims of the recent shooting at Robb Elementary School.
He said that families of victims told him to "do something."
- Carsen Holaday
Biden speaking NOW
The President's speech can be live-streamed on YouTube.
- Carsen Holaday
‘Fired at anyone that was in his way’
The chief said there are accounts that “one of the victims held the door for someone to allow them to escape, and was shot and killed,” said Franklin.
“Amanda was a victim and she was the receptionist,” he also clarified.
- Carsen Holaday
Biden to deliver remarks
The President will make a speech about the recent mass shootings at 7.30pm tonight, per the White House.
Biden will also speak about "the need for Congress to act to pass commonsense laws to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is taking lives," the announcement says.
- Carsen Holaday
Kristin Chenoweth grieves for hometown
Actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth tweeted her shocked response to the shooting in her own hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
"Stop this insanity!!!!" Chenoweth pleaded.
- Jennifer Korn
NJ Gov calls for gun legislation
New Jersey Gov Phil Murphy issued a tweet, calling on Congress to pass gun safety legislation.
"Another day, another mass shooting in America – this time in Tulsa," he wrote. "Our hearts break for the victims."
"We don’t have to live like this. It’s time for Congress to pass nationwide gun safety legislation and for the Legislature to pass our sweeping gun safety bill package."
- Jennifer Korn
Tops supermarket shooting
On May 14, 2022, shots were fired at a supermarket in upstate New York.
At least 10 people were killed and three were injured, according to officials.
Two of the injured were initially in critical condition.
The alleged gunman was 18-year-old, Payton Gendron.
- Jennifer Korn
Community wears pink
Many were notably wearing pink at today's press conference to show support for Saint Francis Hospital and the victims.
Reporter Brian Dorman said, "You will likely see a lot of pink in our community in the coming days."
- Jennifer Korn
Bomb threat and shooting connected
According to Muskogee officer Lynn Hamlin, the shooting at the hospital and the bomb threat in Muskogee are connected.
A reporter on Twitter wrote: “TPD contacted Muskogee PD after the shooting in Tulsa saying it was possible that the shooter planted a bomb at a home in Muskogee.”
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