Responding to Friday morning’s tragic elementary school shooting in Connecticut, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters today that President Obama was informed of the incident at 10:30AM and will “receive regular updates as the day progresses.”

But Carney refused to address how the gun laws contribute to the high numbers of mass shootings or what can be done to prevent these all-too-common events. The press secretary insisted that it is inappropriate to discuss the matter:

Q: The President made a campaign promise to work to renew the assault weapons ban. Why won’t you stand up here today and say that that remains a commitment of his?

CARNEY: It does remain a commitment of his. What I said is, today is not the day, I believe as a father, a day to engage in the usual Washington policy debates. I think that that they will come, but today of not that day, especially as we are awaiting more information about the situation in Connecticut.

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2012/12/14/1337271/white-house-responds-to-elementary-school-shooting-today-is-not-the-day-to-discuss-gun-laws/