Obama orders White House flag to half-staff for Chattanooga victims
President Barack Obama ordered White House flags and all flags at federal facilities to half-staff Tuesday to honor the four U.S. Marines and one Navy sailor killed last week in the attack in Chattanooga.
"Our thoughts and prayers as a nation are with the service members killed last week in Chattanooga. We honor their service. We offer our gratitude to the police officers and first responders who stopped the rampage and saved lives," Obama said in the proclamation ordering the flag to half-staff.
"We draw strength from yet another American community that has come together with an unmistakable message to those who would try and do us harm: We do not give in to fear. You cannot divide us. And you will not change our way of life".
The flags should remain at half-staff until sunset Saturday, according to the presidential proclamation.
Obama called the five service members "heroes" during a speech Tuesday in Pittsburgh. He mentioned the names of the four U.S. Marines and one Navy sailor killed in the attack: Gunnery Sgt. Thomas J. Sullivan; Sgt. Carson A. Holmquist; Lance Cpl. Squire "Skip" K. Wells; Staff Sgt. David A. Wyatt; and U.S. Navy sailor Randall Smith.
The president went in to specific details about their lives, ending his speech by saying "God bless these American heroes."
The status of the White House flag has stirred some criticism; Obama's speech also comes hours after congressional leaders ordered flags to half-staff at the U.S. Capitol.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, ordered the flags down Tuesday morning, according to a tweet from U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn, and several other reports.
Mohammod Youssef Abdulazeez, 24, shot and killed the five service members in two separate attacks on military recruiting sites last week in Chattanooga, according to law enforcement reports.
U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., introduced a bill Monday with U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., and other members of the Tennessee delegation that would end a ban on service members carrying guns on federal military sites. DesJarlais is also among the critics calling on Obama to order the flags to half-staff.
"It needs to happen and it needs to happen soon," DesJarlais said during an interview Tuesday with Fox Business Network.
"I don't know why it wouldn't ... here we have five servicemen who've lost their lives. I can't imagine why it hasn't been lowered."
U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., echoed DesJarlais' calls in a tweet she sent Tuesday morning.
Gov. Bill Haslam ordered flags in Tennessee to remain at half-staff until Friday, representing one business day for each of the five service members who died in the attack.
GOP presidential candidates joined in the criticism of Obama and his delay in ordering the White House flags to half-staff. Controversial businessman and GOP candidate Donald Trump also announced he has asked all of his properties to fly their flags at "half mast" in honor of the Chattanooga victims.
Reach Dave Boucher at 615-259-8892 and on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.
