The Capitol tree lighting ceremony in Washington, D.C. opened on a somber note as Speaker of the House Paul Ryan addressed the mass shooting in San Bernardino, California that took place just hours earlier.
Ryan requested a moment of silence for the 14 people killed and 17 injured in what is being called the deadliest American mass shooting since Sandy Hook.
"Please keep the victims and their families in your prayers right now," Ryan said before illuminating the towering 74-foot-tall Lutz spruce.
Ryan said he hoped the tree would be "a light in the darkness here in our Capitol."
Had the pleasure of lighting the 2015 #CapitolChristmasTree tonight alongside a very bright 5th-grader from Alaska. https://t.co/36y8zu56j3— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) December 3, 2015
Speaker Ryan asks for audience at #Capitol tree lighting to keep the victims and families of the San Bernadino shooting in their prayers— Ali Weinberg (@AliABCNews) December 2, 2015
Spkr Ryan at Capitol Christmas tree lighting: I hope it will be a reminder..that even in the darkest of times, God is there. And He is good.— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 3, 2015
"Let it be a light in the darkness here in our Capitol," said @speakerryan at Christmas Tree lighting. pic.twitter.com/QcIgHM8V47— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) December 2, 2015
.@SpeakerRyan lights the Capitol Christmas tree https://t.co/uxsxX6tiPD— Richard Burr (@SenatorBurr) December 2, 2015
California's own official tree lighting ceremony had been scheduled to take place in Sacramento Wednesday evening, but was canceled within hours of the shooting in a statement released by Gov. Jerry Brown, who also ordered flags across the state to be flown at half-mast.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families and everyone affected by the brutal attack,” Brown said. “California will spare no effort in bringing these killers to justice.”
Statement by @JerryBrownGov on #SanBernadinoShooting @ABC10 pic.twitter.com/tMFfulHAB6— Dina Kupfer (@DinaKupfer) December 2, 2015