Barack Obama calls for tougher gun laws in the wake of the Oregon college shooting

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Obama condemned the shooting at a community college in Oregon today
The shooter killed at least 9 people at Umpqua Community College
Obama said 'thoughts and prayers' are not enough to stop gun violence
Said the U.S. is only advanced country without 'common sense' gun laws despite repeated mass killing 'every few weeks or months'
Hillary Clinton said: 'We need sensible gun control measures to save lives, and I will do everything I can to achieve that'

Published: 17:51 EST, 1 October 2015 | Updated: 07:18 EST, 2 October 2015

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President Barack Obama has called for tougher gun laws in the wake of the college shooting in Oregon today, declaring 'our thoughts and prayers are not enough' to stop the violence.

At the White House today, a visibly upset and angry Obama condemned the shooting that he says has become 'routine' in the United States.

He said the country has become 'numb' to gun violence, adding the U.S. is the only advanced country in the world where such tragedies occur so frequently.

In his 15th address after a mass shooting, the president added that prayers are no longer enough in these situations because they do nothing to stop similar acts from happening again.

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President Obama has called for tougher gun laws in the wake of the college shooting in Oregon today, declaring 'our thoughts and prayers are not enough' to stop the violence

He said: 'There has been another mass shooting in America, this time in Oregon. It is moms, dads and children whose lives have been changed forever, another community stunned with grief.'

He paid tributes to the victims, saying: 'In the coming days, we will learn about the victims, young men and women who were studying, learning and working hard, their eyes set on the future, their dreams on what they could make of their lives.'

This morning a gunman, who has been named as 26-year-old Chris Harper Mercer, opened fire on students at Umpqua Community College, killing at least nine people.

Obama said he had been to Roseburg, Oregon, where the shooting took place earlier today, and said 'there are really good people there'.

Read the latest Barack Obama news with more on his reaction to the Oregon shooting

Obama said he had spoken in the wake of such tragedies 15 times and hopes he will not have to do so again

Obama said: 'America will wrap everyone who is grieving with our prayers and our love.

'Somehow this has become routine,' Obama said. 'The reporting has become routine. My response here, from this podium, ends up being routine.'

He added: 'But as I said just a few months ago and I said a few months before that, and I said each time we see one of these mass shootings, our thoughts and prayers are not enough. It's not enough.

'It does not capture the grief and anger that we should feel and it does nothing to prevent this type of carnage from being inflicted in some other place in America. Next week, or a couple of months from now.'

Obama said that the shooter must have mental health issues, but while other countries have people suffering from such issues, nowhere is there the kind of gun violence seen regularly in the United States.

He added: 'We are the only advanced country on earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months.

'The United States of America is the one advanced nation on earth in which we do not have sufficient common sense gun safety laws even in the face of repeated mass killings.'

Students, staff and faculty are pictured being evacuated from Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, on Thursday

Obama said he had spoken in the wake of such tragedies 15 times, including the Charleston church massacre and the shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

He said he has frequently called for legislation to try and stop gun violence, and insisted he would continue to bring the issue up every time a shooting occurs.

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton echoed the president's sentiments, writing on Twitter: 'Another devastating shooting. We need sensible gun control measures to save lives, and I will do everything I can to achieve that.'

And in a thinly-veiled reference to groups, such as the National Rifle Association, which has opposed many of the president's effort to tighten laws, Obama blasted those who believe the answer is 'more guns'.

Multiple ambulances are pictured on the scene of the shooting with at least one patient on a gurney at the Roseburg campus

People gathered for a candle light vigil following a mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg

A woman places a candle at a vigil to commemorate the victims of the massacre at a community college

'Who believes that?' he asked.

'Each time this happens, I'm going to bring this up,' Obama said.

'I hope and pray that I don’t have to come out again in my tenure as president to offer my condolences to families under these circumstances.

'But based on my experience as president, I can’t guarantee that.'

He added: 'I’d ask the American people to think about how they can get our government to change these laws, and to save these lives and let these people grow up.

'I would particularly ask America’s gun owners, who are using those guns properly, safely, to hunt, for sport, or protecting their families, to think about whether your views are properly being represented by the organization that suggests it’s speaking for you.'

He added: 'We collectively are answerable to those families who lose their loved ones because of our inaction.'