Orlando is America's worst shooting ever. Grief and outrage on Twitter
At least 50 people were killed and 53 inured at a Florida nightclub in Orlando in what can easily be called one of the deadliest ever mass shootings in the history of United States of America.
A gunman, now identified as Omar Mateen, opened indiscriminate fire at inside a gay nightclub called Pulse in the city of Orlando, and the resulting rampage saw a bloodbath unmatched in the recent history of American epidemic that is gun violence.
The trigger-happy violence began as Saturday night partygoers at Pulse nightclub had settled into a lazier mood in the wee hours of Sunday, and sometime around 2 am, Pulse sent out an SOS on Facebook: "Everyone get out of pulse and keep running."
Though the SWAT team descended within minutes of the emergency call, over 50 were killed and another 53 injured as Mateen kept firing without a pause. People scrammed and shouting, fell on the ground, while the lifeless bodies just collapsed in a heap.
The incident soon turned into hostage situation with an officer working at the club tried defending the crowd, but he was outmatched by the thorough preparedness of the gunman.
Woke up to hear the devastating news from FL. As we wait for more information, my thoughts are with those affected by this horrific act. -H
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 12, 2016
Really bad shooting in Orlando. Police investigating possible terrorism. Many people dead and wounded.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2016
This is a terror attack, whether the shooter's white, black or Islamic.You shoot 60+ people, you're a terrorist. End. #orlando
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 12, 2016
Saturday in Orlando was the 173rd US mass shooting in 2016. Today is the 163rd day of 2016.. https://t.co/OFg9rGBnNX pic.twitter.com/VCrmrlylvl
— Lou (@dubois) June 12, 2016
UPDATE: 50 dead, 53 wounded.Now officially worst mass shooting in U.S. history. #orlando
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 12, 2016
The rank, ignorant speculation that always spews forth from cable news during these events is vile & dangerous. https://t.co/RgXXnTiOvS
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) June 12, 2016
#Orlando attack reminds ofthe threat posed by global terror network. World would have escaped it if India's timely warnings were acted upon.
— BS Bassi (@BhimBassi) June 12, 2016
Terrible news from Orlando: massacre toll 50 dead, 53 injured. Prayers.
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) June 12, 2016
#OrlandoShooting becomes the worst mass shooting in US history, beating the last record by 18 kills. pic.twitter.com/9PuPQXEBjY
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) June 12, 2016
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| Heavy security deployed at the Orlando mass shooting site at a gay nightclub called Pulse. |
It must be noted that June 2016 is the gay pride month in America, and even Present Barack Obama has voiced his firm support for the LGBTQ community, which suffered a merciless blow today.
The grievous violence is being attributed to rising homophobia and unchecked gun possession in the US, with the National Rifle Association-led gun lobby active ly preventing tighter gun control even though the Democrats, particularly President Obama himself, are strongly for strict gun control.
An estimate puts the Orlando massacre as the 178th gun-related violence in the US in the 2016 itself.
Omar Mateen, the suspected gunman, from Fort Pierce, Florida, was also killed in the rampage. However, there is an all-out war between those who are pro gun control versus those dead against over whether Orlando being awash with guns and Pulse nightclub being located in a "gun-free zone" had anything to do with the heinous crime.
Mateen was born in the US in 1986, and his parents are Afghani immigrants. The Orlando massacre is likely to fuel both anti-immigrant backlash as well as calls for tighter gun laws, and may have a significant impact on the election campaigns of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, though perhaps in the opposite directions.
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| Injured lie on the ground at Orlando mass shooting site. |
The White House said President Obama was briefed on the incident Sunday.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the victims,” the White House said in a statement. “The President asked to receive regular updates as the FBI, and other federal officials, work with the Orlando Police to gather more information, and directed that the federal government provide any assistance necessary to pursue the investigation and support the community.”
The Sunday rampage quickly follows the fatal shooting of American singer and star of The Voice - Christina Grimmie - at an Orlando concert venue.