Obama Orders Flags Lowered to Half-Staff for Chattanooga Victims After Receiving Criticism

U.S. President Barack Obama ordered all flags in the United States to be lowered to half-staff this week in honor of the four fallen Marines and one sailor recently killed during a shooting in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

On Tuesday, the president announced the order to have all flags on federal ground lowered to half-staff until the end of the week in honor of the five victims.

"Our thoughts and prayers as a Nation are with the service members killed last week in Chattanooga. We honor their service. We offer our gratitude to the police officers and first responders who stopped the rampage and saved lives," Obama said in a presidential proclamation, as reported by The Hill.

"We draw strength from yet another American community that has come together with an unmistakable message to those who would try to do us harm: We do not give into fear. You cannot divide us. And you will not change our way of life," the president added.

As The Washington Post reports, the president had received criticism for not calling on the lowering of flags earlier, as the rampage that took the five servicemen's lives happened last week.

"Oh one more thing, lower the FLAG!!!!!!!! Sir," former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell wrote on his Facebook page, as reported by The Washington Post.

"The President should follow suit and order flags flown at half staff across the country, and he should do so immediately," House Armed Services Committee chairman Mac Thornberry said in a statement Tuesday, before the flags were lowered.

The White House also received criticism for not immediately lowering its flag, although it did lower the flag later in the day.