Hundreds of our fellow citizens

are now mourning the sudden loss of a loved one--

a parent, a child, a brother or sister.

We cannot fathom their pain.

We cannot imagine their loss.

To the families of the victims, we are praying for you.

And we are here for you.

And we ask God to help see you through this very dark period.

Scripture teaches us the Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

We seek comfort in those words, for we

know that God lives in the hearts of those who grieve.

To the wounded who are now recovering in hospitals,

we are praying for your full and speedy recovery

and pledge to you our support from this day forward.

In memory of the fallen, I have directed that our great flag

be flown at half staff.

I will be visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday

to meet with law enforcement, first responders,

and the families of the victims.

In moments of tragedy and horror,

America comes together as one, and it always has.

We call upon the bonds that unite

us-- our faith, our family, and our shared values.

We call upon the bonds of citizenship,

the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity.

Our unity cannot be shattered by evil.

Our bonds cannot be broken by violence.

And though we feel such great anger

at the senseless murder of our fellow citizens,

it is our love that defines us today and always will forever.

In times such as these, I know we

are searching for some kind of meaning

in the chaos, some kind of light in the darkness.

The answers do not come easy.

But we can take solace knowing that even that darkest space

can be brightened by a single light,

and even the most terrible despair

can be illuminated by a single ray of hope.

Melania and I are praying for every American who

has been hurt, wounded, or lost the ones they

loved so dearly in this terrible, terrible attack.

We pray for the entire nation to find unity and peace.

And we pray for the day when evil is banished

and the innocent are safe from hatred and from fear.

May God bless the souls of the lives that are lost.

May God give us the grace of healing.

And may God provide the grieving families

with the strength to carry on.

Thank you.

God bless America.

Thank you.