House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) ordered that flags over the U.S. Capitol be flown at half-staff Tuesday to honor the four Marines and one sailor killed in the attacks on two Chattanooga, Tenn., military facilities last week.
Boehner labeled the shootings, carried out by alleged gunman Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, a "terror attack" in a statement Tuesday morning, explaining that the House of Representatives will also honor the service members with a moment of silence as Congress reconvenes Tuesday.
"Out of respect for their courageous service and sacrifice to our nation, flags at the U.S. Capitol are being lowered to half-staff," Boehner said. "Later today, we will also mark a moment of silence on the House floor in their memory. We will continue to pray for their loved ones and also take action to protect our men and women in uniform who protect all Americans."
President Obama has not ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in the wake of the attacks.
"I don’t have more information about the status of the flag over the White House," press secretary John Earnest told reporters when questioned about Obama’s decision Monday.
Obama has also not used the word "terrorism" to describe the attacks on the military facilities in Chattanooga despite the fact that federal officials have launched a full-scale terrorism investigation into the attacks.
According to law enforcement sources, writings authored by the suspected shooter, who died in the rampage Thursday, indicate that Abdulazeez was not happy with the U.S. government and the war on terror.
Sources have also said that Abdulazeez told colleagues that he had visited a shooting range as recently as June where he and friends shot rifles, pistols, and BB guns.
Abdulazeez was born in Kuwait before becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen. Investigators said he has traveled to Jordan multiple times, and that one of the trips occurring as recently as last year.
While officials said Abdulazeez was not listed on any U.S. terror watch list, his father, Youssuf Abdulazeez, was investigated twice in an FBI terror funding investigation, but was cleared of wrongdoing.
Family members and friends have also said that Abdulazeez was suffering from depression and abused drugs.