The whole world grieves over the shooting tragedy in America

(Baonghean.vn) - President Obama described the deadly shooting in Orlando as “an act of terror and hate”. The gunman who killed 50 people at a gay nightclub was once on the FBI’s radar.

Messages of solidarity with the LGBT community and condemnation of the attack continued to be conveyed by political and religious leaders from around the world early on June 13.

President Barack Obama condemned the shooting on the morning of June 12 in Orlando. Photo: Getty.

President Barack Obama was the first to react, affirming that the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida was "the deadliest incident in American history".

A longtime advocate of stricter gun laws, Obama added that the “murder of dozens of innocent people” was a reminder of how easy it is to access deadly weapons in the United States.

“We have to decide whether this is the country we want to be in. To take no action is a decision in itself,” he said.

50 people died, 53 people were injured

Omar Mateen, an American citizen of Afghan descent, opened fire at a gay nightclub on the morning of June 12. At least 50 people were killed and 53 others were injured. Seven of the victims have been identified - Stanley Almodovar III, Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, Juan Ramon Guerrero, Edward Sotomayor Jr, Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, Peter O Gonzalez-Cruz and Luis S Vielma.

The 29-year-old gunman was killed at the scene in a shootout with 11 police officers. A law enforcement official told the Associated Press that the gunman called 911 from the club and pledged allegiance to the leader of the so-called Islamic State (IS), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. IS has claimed responsibility for the attack on a website.

50 people died and 53 were injured after Omar Mateen opened fire at a nightclub in Orlando. Photo: Reuters.

“This is a hate crime”

After learning of the incident's connection to IS, the head of a major pro-Islamic group in the US strongly criticized the massacre, calling IS members "mentally deranged".

Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also called for unity and urged politicians not to “exploit” Sunday’s tragedy.

“This is simply a hate crime that violates our principles as Americans and Muslims,” Awad said at a news conference.

“I must make it clear that we do not tolerate any form of extremism,” he asserted.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also expressed his condolences to the victims of the attack. In a status posted on Twitter, he said: “I am shocked by the bloody attack in Orlando. We are saddened by the loss of life. Our thoughts are with our friends in the United States.”

Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, expressed “deepest sense of horror and condemnation”, while Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II said she and Prince Philip were “shocked by the incidents”.

Pro-gay hashtags also began to appear on Twitter, as users shared their grief and expressed solidarity with the LGBT community.

On the red carpet at the Tony Awards in New York City, several stars including "The Walking Dead" actress Danai Gurira and host James Cordon wore silver ribbons in memory of the victims.

Memorials were held in Florida and around the world. Photo: Zuma.

Vigils were also held in cities around the world, including Miami, Paris and outside the White House in Washington, DC. In New York, crowds gathered at the Stonewall Hotel — a key site in the history of the gay rights movement.

Identity of the perpetrator

More details were revealed on the afternoon of June 12, US time (morning of June 13, Vietnam time) about the perpetrator. Sitora Yusufiy, Mateen's ex-wife, said he was an emotionally and mentally challenged person with a tendency toward violence.

The FBI also confirmed it had been keeping an eye on Mateen in 2013 after he made inflammatory comments to colleagues expressing sympathy for Islamic militants.

FBI Special Agent Ron Hopper said Mateen was investigated and interviewed twice but the intelligence agency “was unable to verify his comments.”

“Not a big threat”

At the time, Mateen was working as a security guard at G4S, a British multinational company that is among the world's largest private security companies.

G4S said he joined the company in September 2007, carrying a gun to serve his duties as a security guard.

In 2014, Mateen was investigated and questioned a second time on suspicion of having links to Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha - an American citizen who carried out a suicide bombing in Syria in 2014.

However, Agent Hopper asserted that Mateen's connection to Abu-Sallah was insignificant and was considered at the time to be "not a major threat."

Gay Pride March in Los Angeles

In another development, on June 12, Los Angeles police arrested a man who intended to "harm" the Gay Pride parade in Los Angeles.

Remembering the victims of the Gay Pride parade shooting in Los Angeles. Photo: Reuters.

Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks said a 20-year-old man was arrested with multiple rifles, ammunition and some bomb-making materials in a car with Indiana plates.

Police sources said there was no connection between the Santa Monica arrest and the Orlando attack.

Thao Linh

(According to DW)