LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Former Vice President Joe Biden condemned the GOP and the Trump administration during a visit to Los Angeles that was overshadowed by the school shooting at Saugus High School that killed two students.

Biden visited Los Angeles Trade-Technical College Thursday as part of his campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. He opened his speech by addressing the deadly shooting.

“What kind of world is this? What kind of world is this?” Biden said in a somber tone.

He vowed to take on the gun lobby if elected president.

“And the fact that our Republican friends, led by this president, is so desperately afraid of the (National Rifle Association), afraid of the gun manufacturers, and yields in a way that is quite frankly sickening.”

A 16-year-old girl and 14-year-old boy were killed in the shooting. The gunman, identified as 16-year-old Nathaniel Berhow, remains in grave condition from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“I’m so tired of people talking about your prayers,” Biden said. “Dammit, we have to protect these kids. We have to do it now.”

Vice President Mike Pence, who was also in California visiting the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, also offered his condolences to the victims of the shooting.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)