"18 precious souls stolen": Biden honors Maine mass shooting victims

• The suspect was found dead days later with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, concluding a manhunt that had prompted lockdowns in communities around Lewiston.

The big picture: Upon arrival Friday, Biden and the first lady were expected to meet with first responders, nurses and others who had been involved in responding to the shootings, per a White House press schedule.

• They also were scheduled to meet with survivors of the attacks, mourning families of the victims and other community members affected by the shootings.
• "18 precious souls stolen," Biden said in remarks outside the bowling alley where one of the shootings took place.
• "As we mourn today in Maine, this tragedy opens a painful, painful wound all across the country," the president said. "Too many Americans have lost loved ones or survived the trauma of gun violence."
• "This is about common sense, reasonable, responsible measures to protect our children, our families, our communities, because regardless of our politics, this is about protecting our freedom to go to a bowling alley, a restaurant a school, a church – without being shot and killed," he added.

Zoom out: Though he didn't specifically mention gun control in his remarks Friday, Biden has been a staunch advocate of stricter gun laws, and has repeatedly called on Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

• Biden continues to call for Congress to take such actions, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing Thursday ahead of the trip to Maine.
• "Too many times, the President and the First Lady have travelled to communities completely torn apart by gun violence," Jean-Pierre said.

Go deeper: Maine victims included people who tried to stop shooter, families say