The President and First Lady traveled to Uvalde, Texas to pay their respects to the families, friends and community that lost 21 people to a heavily armed gunman who stormed Robb Elementary School last week, stopping at a makeshift memorial on school grounds, CNN reports.

President and Dr. Biden were greeted by the principal of the school and the superintendent of the school district before approaching the rows of crosses, each bearing the name of one of the dead, set up in front of the school.  Dr. Biden placed a large bouquet of white roses at the sign in front of the school.

The Bidens will attend a mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church before scheduled meetings with families of the deceased.  They will also meet with the first responders.

The Department of Justice announced that it will investigate the fatally flawed response from local law enforcement agencies that held back police response for more than an hour before officers were able to enter the classroom where the shooter was held up.

The compassionate response of the Bidens contrasts starkly with the reaction of Republicans, who in defiance of public opinion on gun control, have continued to maintain their support of free and unregulated access to assault weapons and other guns, as well the ability to carry them wherever they choose.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Quintana Roo), an alleged representative of Texas in the Senate, and the titular head of the GOP Donald Trump enthusiastically at the NRA convention held in Houston Friday night, reassuring the pro-violence group that anyone who wishes to have a gun should be able to get one, without background checks.