Obama releases statement about mass murder attacks — and takes a shot at Trump

Former President Barack Obama is being praised by many on the left for a statement he made about the mass murder attacks over the weekend, including a veiled shot at President Donald Trump.

Obama offered condolences to the families of the murdered and injured, and then advocated for more gun control legislation.

"No other developed nation tolerates the levels of gun violence that we do," the former president wrote.

"Every time this happens, we're told that tougher gun laws won't stop all murders," he continued, "that they won't stop every deranged individual from getting a weapon and shooting innocent people in public places. But the evidence shows that they can stop some killings. They can save some families from heartbreak.

"We are not helpless here," Obama added. "And until all of us stand up and insist on holding public officials accountable for changing our gun laws, these tragedies will keep happening."

Obama went on to state that law enforcement needs to do a better job of monitoring white supremacist hate groups.

"We should soundly reject language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders that feeds a climate of fear and hatred or normalizes racist sentiments; leaders who demonize those who don't look like us, or suggest that other people, including immigrants, threaten our way of life, or refer to other people as sub-human, or imply that America belongs to just one certain type of people," he added.

"Such language isn't new – it's been at the root of most human tragedy throughout history, here in America and around the world. It is at the root of slavery and Jim Crow, the Holocaust, the genocide in Rwanda and ethnic cleansing in the Balkans. It has no place in our politics and our public life," he said.

"And it's time for the overwhelming majority of Americans of goodwill, of every race and faith and political party, to say as much," Obama concluded, "clearly and unequivocally."

Many saw the description of leaders who "demonize" immigrants to imply a criticism of Trump over his comments calling the influx of migrants an "invasion."

Here's the latest on the Dayton massacre: