A search continues in the Washington, D.C. area for a sniper who has killed eight people and injured two more since October 2. President Bush says he is sickened by the loss of innocent life.
The sniper has struck with no warning, shooting at people going about their everyday lives.
President Bush says he too feels the anguish so common these days in the capital city area. "I am just sick, sick to my stomach to think that there is a cold-blooded killer at home taking innocent life," he said.
He specifically mentioned the shooting last Monday of a 13-year-old boy on his way into a school, who remains hospitalized. "I pray for the families who grieve and suffer. And I worry about a society where moms can't take their kids to school," he said.
The President spoke during a hastily arranged session with reporters. Most of the questions dealt with the latest terrorist attacks in Indonesia, Yemen and Kuwait.
Mr. Bush said there is no evidence one way or the other on whether terrorists committed the Washington area shootings. Nevertheless, he said, the sniper is engaging in a form of terrorism.
"Any time anybody is randomly shooting, randomly killing, randomly taking life, it's cold blooded murder and it's, you know, it's a sick mind that obviously loves terrorizing society," he said.
Mr. Bush noted that he gets regular updates from federal law enforcement officials on the search for the sniper. He promised continued federal government help for the investigation, saying his administration will do all it can to capture the killer and bring him to justice.