9:11 p.m. ET, July 5, 2022
Vice President Harris visits Highland Park shooting scene: "We're here for you and we stand with you"
From CNN staff
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks near the site of Monday's mass shooting.
(Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)
Vice President Kamala Harris
visited the scene of the Highland Park, Illinois, mass shooting on Tuesday evening, expressing in remarks to reporters her support for the community and urging the country to "stand together and speak out" about why gun violence has to stop.
"We're here for you and we stand with you. And of course, as we always say, because it is true, our prayers are with you. The President and I and our administration have put all the resources and will continue to put all the resources that the mayor, and the chief, and others need in terms of the federal assistance," Harris said.
"There's a lot of healing that's gonna have to happen, that is both physical and emotional. There is no question that this experience is something that is gonna linger in terms of the trauma. And so I'd like to urge all the families and all the individuals to do — seek the support that you so rightly to serve," Harris continued.
Harris also used a portion of her remarks to address gun safety in the United States.
"We've got to be smarter as a country, in terms of who has access to what, and in particular, assault weapons. And we've got to take this stuff seriously, as seriously as you are, because you have been forced to have to take this seriously," she said.
"The whole nation should understand and have a level of empathy to understand that this can happen anywhere, in any peace loving community. And we should stand together and speak out about why it's gotta stop," Harris continued.
Harris was accompanied on her visit by Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, Rep. Brad Schneider, a Democrat who represents the 10th District in Illinois, and state Sen. Julie Morrison, according to the press pool traveling with her Tuesday.
More on the vice president's Illinois visit: During a call Tuesday morning, Rotering invited the vice president to join her in Highland Park following Harris' speech to the National Education Association.
Harris delivered remarks earlier on Tuesday in Chicago, just miles from Highland Park, and pointedly told Congress to "have the courage" to act on an assault weapons ban and to "stop protecting" gun manufacturers.
"Yesterday, it should have been a day to come together with family and friends to celebrate our nation's independence and instead, that community suffered a violent tragedy," Harris said in remarks to the National Education Association on Tuesday.
"We need to stop this violence," she said.
"You know, I've said it before. Enough is enough," she said forcefully. "I mean, here we are, our nation is still mourning the loss of those 19 babies and their two teachers in Uvalde."
CNN's Mary Kay Mallonee contributed reporting to this post.