Sarah Huckabee Sanders chokes up when a child asks her about school shootings
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was rattled at the White House press briefing on Wednesday when a child reporter named Benje Choucroun asked her about school shootings in the country.
Sanders appeared unfrazzled by the questions that were thrown at her about comedian Roseanne Barr's racist tweet, President Trump and even the FBI probe. However, it was the question by a 13-year-old student which left her dumbstruck for a moment.
When Sanders called on Benje during the White House press briefing, he said: "At my school, we recently had a lockdown drill. One thing that affects my and other students’, mental health is the worry about the fact that we or our friends could be shot at school. Specifically, can you tell me what the administration has done and will do to prevent these senseless tragedies?”
Sanders responded to the question saying: "As a kid, and certainly as a parent, there is nothing that could be more terrifying than for a kid to go to school and not feel safe."
"So, I’m sorry that you feel that way,” Sanders continued, appearing visibly emotional. "This administration takes it seriously and the School Safety Commission that the president convened is meeting this week to discuss the best ways forward and how we can do every single thing within our power to protect kids in our schools and to make them feel safe and make their parents feel good about dropping them off.”
The question from Benje comes at a time when the United States is grappling with multiple school shootings within a few months. At least 23 school shootings, intentional or accidental, have been reported in the United States so far this year, according to reports.
Benje is reportedly from California and is currently in Washington DC to cover a sports event for Time for Kids magazine, according to USA Today. The 13-year-old, who has a growing number of followers on his YouTube page, is garnering praise on social media for his sharp question directed at the White House press secretary.
At least 31 people in the United States have been killed in school shootings so far in 2018 while 29 military service members died in the same period of time, according to an analysis of the Department of Defense data. The most recent school shooting with fatalities unfolded two weeks ago in Santa Fe High School in Texas claiming 10 lives.