Joe Biden called a 'disgrace' for 'joking' about Nashville shooting

US President Joe Biden is facing a backlash for comments he made about the Nashville school shooting.

Six people were killed after a shooter opened fire at a Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday morning.

Police said the suspect, 28-year-old Audrey Hale, who identified as transgender and was believed to be a former student at the school, shot dead three children and three staff at The Covenant School on Monday morning, before being shot dead by police.

On Tuesday, the president spoke to reporters about the attack, which was America’s 129th mass shooting of 2023, according to data compiled by Gun Violence Archive, and said he didn't agree with comments Republican Senator Josh Hawley made, calling on the FBI to investigate the shooting as a hate crime against Christians.

"I have no idea," Biden responded when asked if he believed Christians were targeted.

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When told about Hawley's comments, the president said: "Well, I probably don't then."

"No, I'm joking," Biden added. "I have no idea."

In response, Hawley said the comments were a "disgrace" in a string of tweets against the president.

"There's nothing remotely funny about hate crimes," Hawley added.

He also spoke about the subject on Fox News.

Elsewhere, Biden called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and called again on Congress to pass gun control laws.

Attorney General Merrick Garland told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Tuesday that it was too early to say whether the Nashville school shooting was a hate crime.

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