Hillary Clinton called Thursday’s shooting of four Marines in Chattanooga, Tennessee, “an act of senseless violence” and echoed other officials when she said it was an “instance of domestic terrorism.”
Clinton, who was in New Hampshire for her first town hall as a presidential candidate, started her gaggle with reporters by reflecting on the shooting that occurred earlier in the day.
“I just want to say a word about how tragic and regrettable it is that we lost four Marines in an act of senseless violence – what is being called another instance of domestic terrorism,” Clinton said. “It’s terrible when we lose Marines anywhere in the world, but to lose four in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is just heartbreaking.”
Clinton continued: “Obviously, my heart goes out to their families and to their colleagues, and I hope that we can find a way to stop this kind of violence that is stalking our children, people in Bible study and people who wear the uniform of our country.”
Clinton’s Bible study comment refers to the recent shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, that left nine people dead in a black church.
The four Marines were killed on Thursday when a gunman opened fire at two military on Thursday. The shooter, identified as 24-year-old Muhammad Yousuff Abdulazeez, was killed, according to the FBI.
Though investigators told reporters that they are still investigating whether the act was terror related or a criminal act, U.S. attorney Bill Killian called the shooting an “act of domestic terrorism.”
