As news continues to pour in about the scary shooting at Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub that left more than 50 people dead, many people have made statements in support as well offered condolences to the ones lost. Now, President Obama has made an official address from the White House as well.
Here’s what he said:
“Today as Americans we grieve the brutal murder–a horrific massacre of dozens of innocent people. We pray for their families who are grasping for answers with broken hearts, we stand with the people of Orlando, who have endured a terrible attack on their city. Although it’s still early in the investigation, we know enough to say that this was an act of terror and an act of hate and as Americans we are united in grief and outrage and in result to defend our people.
I just finished a meeting with FBI director and my homeland security and national security advisors. The FBI is on the scene and leading the investigation with partnership local law enforcement.
We are still learning all the facts. This is an open investigation. We have received no definitive judgement on he precise motivations of the killer. The FBI is appropriately investigating this as an act of terrorism and I’ve directed that we must spare no effort to determine what, if any inspiration or association this killer may have had with terrorist groups.
What is clear is that he was a person filled with hatred. Over coming days we’ll discover how and why this happened. And we will go wherever the facts lead us.
This morning I spoke with my good friend, Orlando mayor, Buddy and I conveyed to him the deepest condolences of the American people.
This could have been any one of our communities. So I told the Mayor that whatever help he and the people of Orlando need they are going to get it. As a country we will be there for the people of Orlando today, tomorrow, and for all the days to come.
We also express our profound gratitude to all the police and first responders who rushed to harms way. Their courage and professionalism saved lives and kept the carnage from being even worse. That’s the kind of sacrifice that our law enforcement professionals make every single day for all of us and we can never thank them enough.
“This is an especially heart breaking day for all of our friends, our fellow Americans, who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. The shorter targeted a night club where people came together to be with friends, to dance, and to sing and to live. The place where they were attacked was more than a night club. It is a place of solidarity and empowerment where people have come together to raise awareness, to speak their minds and to advocate for their civil rights.
So This is a sobering reminder that attacks on any American– regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation is an attack on all of us. And on the fundamental values of equality and dignity that define us as country. No act of hate or terror will ever change who we are or the value that makes us Americans.
Today marks the most deadly shooting in Anerican History. The shooter was apparently armed with a Handgun and a powerful assault rifle.
This massacre is therefor a further reminder of how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapon that lets them shoot people in a a school, or in house of worship, or a movie theater, or in a night club. And we have to decide if that’s the kind of country we want to be. To actively to nothing is a decision as well.
In the coming hours and days we’lllearn about the victims of this tragedy– their names, their faces, Who they were, the joy they brought to families and to friends and the difference they made in this world. Say a prayer for them. Say a prayer for their families. Let God give them the strength to bare the unbearable. And that he give us all the strength to be there for them and the strength and the courage to change. We need to demonstrate that we are defined more as a country by the way they lived their lives than by the hate of the man who took them from us.
As we go together, we will draw inspiration from
heroic and selfless acts; Friends who helped friends, took care of each other and saved lives. In the face of hate and violence we will love one another. We will not give into fear or turn against each other. Instead We will stand united as Americans to protect our people and defend our nation and to take action against those who threaten us. May God bless the Americans we lost this morning. May he comfort their families. May god continue to watch over this county that we love. Thank you.”
TSR STAFF: Chantel P.! @_popchanny on IG!
Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/obama-addresses-orlando-nightclub-shooting-39797927
