"I know that feeling. Everybody is different. But I know that feeling," he said. "It's like a black hole in the middle of your chest. You're being dragged into and you never know if there's a way out."
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The president called on Congress to pass a ban on assault weapons, like it did decades ago.
"And guess what, it worked. The number of violent mass murders reduced was significant. A lot of people's lives were saved," the president said.
Families of victims from the Highland Park 4th of July parade shooting were also there.
Ashbey Beasley and her son were at that parade, but weren't physically hurt in the attack. Since the summer, she's been working tirelessly, seeking out lawmakers to push for gun reform.
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"What's happening to us, like me in my community, can happen to them. It can happen to their children. Their grandchildren. Their families," Beasley said.
Highland Park survivors also joined a group of doctors and parents at this rally in Washington D.C., asking lawmakers to act and pass new legislation.
"As mass shootings continue to rise year after year, I realize that complacently is just as dangerous as these attacks themselves," said Dr. Emily Lieberman, Highland Park survivor.