PARKLAND, Fla. _ President Donald Trump on Friday night visited doctors and nurses who treated victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.
The president traveled directly to North Broward Hospital from the Palm Beach International Airport, where he landed onboard Air Force One, along with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, White House chief of staff John Kelly and first lady Melania Trump.
"The job they've done is incredible and I want to congratulate you," Trump said as he shook a doctor's hand. The doctor was identified as Dr. Igor Nichiporenko.
When asked, the president said he met with victims: "Yes I did. I did indeed."
The Trumps paid their respects to medical personnel who treated some of the injured. The hallway, a long corridor with white floor tiling and off-white walls, was empty aside from a doctor and security personnel.
"It's sad something like that could happen," Trump said.
He said he was impressed with the speed with which first responders reacted, calling it "record-setting" and "in one case 20 minutes. It's an incredible thing," Trump said.
They planned to meet with law enforcement officials at the Broward County Sheriff's office later Friday.
Trump had been in contact with state and local officials over the previous days, including as recently as a morning briefing Friday. His first call with Gov. Rick Scott took place at 3:35 p.m. Wednesday, the day of the shooting, according to Scott's Wednesday schedule, a time when the shooter had not yet been caught.
Trump's visit comes just hours after the FBI admitted it had failed to act on a tip about the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, on Jan. 5.
