Obama: Motives Unknown, But Action Needed After San Bernardino Mass Shooting

President Barack Obama says there may be “mixed motives” in the San Bernardino massacre that left 14 people dead and 17 injured. But he was clear, again, that the long string of mass killings in this country needs a legislative response.

The two suspects in the Wednesday shootings, Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27, are dead. Farook was an employee who worked with the victims and was a guest at the holiday party where he and his wife opened fire.

“The suspects had weapons and access to additional weaponry at their home, but we don’t know why they did it,” Obama said Thursday morning. “There may be mixed motives involved in this, which makes the investigation more complicated.”

More at Patch:

• Shooting Spree in San Bernardino Leaves At Least 14 Dead, 17 Injured
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• How You Can Help Survivors of the San Bernardino

A terrorism link has not been ruled out, but neither has workplace violence, Obama said. The FBI is leading the investigation in cooperation with local law enforcement.

“What I can assure the American people is that we’re going to get to the bottom of this and we’re going to be vigilant,” he said.

Obama has again called for reforms to gun laws — a frequent topic for the president following mass shootings across the country.

“As the investigation moves forward it’s going to be important for all of us, including legislatures, to see what we can do,” he said. ”Right now it’s just too easy. We’re going to have to search ourselves as a society to make sure we can take the basic steps to make it harder — not impossible, but harder — for individuals to get weapons.”

Renee Schiavone/ Patch