Arizona shooting will not dampen hopes: Obama

Attending a memorial ceremony to remember the victims in the shooting rampage in Tucson, Arizona, President Barack Obama said on Wednesday night that "hopes are here tonight" despite the tragedy.

Obama was speaking to thousands of Arizonans and the rest of the nation in a speech aimed at healing wounds and sending a message of cooperation.

One thing "we cannot do is to use this occasion to turn on each other," the president said, referring to a heated debate over whether harsh political rhetoric contributed to the Saturday shooting which killed six people and wounded 14 others, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

"Let's use this occasion ... to sharpen our instinct for sympathy," Obama noted.

Source: Xinhua