White House Lowers Flag to Half-Staff in Honor of Florida School Shooting Victims

The American flag at the White House was lowered to half-staff on Thursday to honor victims of the Parkland, Florida school shooting.

CBS News shared video of the moment the flag atop the White House was lowered, a traditional action that was performed on President Donald Trump’s order.

“Our Nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones in the shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida,” Trump’s proclamation reads.

“As a mark of solemn respect for the victims of the terrible act of violence perpetrated on February 14, 2018, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff,” it continues.

The proclamation calls for all public buildings, military facilities, diplomatic sites, naval vessels and other locations to have their their flags flown at half-staff through Monday.

Trump also addressed the nation on Thursday, one day after 19-year-old former student and suspected gunman Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School ahead of afternoon dismissal.

Cruz reportedly pulled the fire alarms and sprayed bullets as students scurried from their classrooms. His gunfire killed 17 people and injured several more.

The suspected shooter was taken into custody by the Broward County Sheriff’s Department and has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder. He is being held without bond.

During Trump’s speech on Thursday, he pledged to address mental health and school safety measures following what is considered to be the third-deadliest school shooting in American history. Meanwhile, he refrained using the word “gun” in the address and avoided any discussion of changing gun laws, though Cruz is suspected of carrying out the attack with an AR-15 rifle, a weapon commonly used in mass shootings.

“We are committed to working with state and local leaders to secure our schools and tackle the difficult issue of mental health,” the president said.

Trump pledged federal help to the affected Florida community, and said he would travel to Parkland to coordinate the federal response. He urged Americans to answer “hate with love” and “cruelty with kindness.”

“We are all joined together as one American family and your suffering is our burden also,” the president said.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday that the state of Florida would cover all funeral expenses for victims of the school shooting. It will also provide counseling for victims who survived and students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.