A vigil and memorial service has been held for victims of a shooting at an elementary school in the US in which 27 people, including 20 children, were killed.
The attack happened on Friday morning at the Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, in Connecticut. The children killed were between the ages of five and 10.
According to the BBC, the gunman has been widely identified as Adam Lanza, 20, who apparently took his own life at the scene.
It is believed that Lanza killed his mother, a teacher, earlier. Six adults were also killed in the attack, the third major gun attack in the US this year.
Earlier in the year, 12 people were killed at a Batman premiere in Aurora, Colorado, and in August, six people died at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.
In an emotional televised statement, President Barack Obama said he was praying for the victims and quoted from Scripture, saying he hoped God would "bind the broken hearted and heal up their words".
"As a country we have been through this too many times," he said.
"We're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics."
He offered his condolences to families of the victims.
"Our hearts are broken today, for the parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers of these children, and for the families of the adults who were lost," he said.
Local pastor Rocky Veach told The Christian Post: "I think it's indicative of the condition of our culture in this nation that this kind of thing continues to happen.
"As a pastor, I think we have to look to the Lord. A lot of people are hurting today and it's very sad when you have to ask God for his help to comfort them, and not only for the healing but just for answers as to why this kind of thing continues to happen."
