WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama addressed the nation on Sunday afternoon about the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando overnight.
Fifty people were killed and 53 were wounded, making it the deadliest mass shooting in American history. Omar Saddiqui Mateen, who has been identified as the shooter, reportedly called 911 and expressed solidarity with the Islamic State and the Boston Marathon bombers, according to media reports.
"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, in outrage, and in resolve to defend our people," Obama said during the address. (Video below via BBC News).
The presumptive candidates of both major parties, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and businessman Donald Trump, both addressed the event on Twitter on Sunday morning. Trump was criticized on social media for the seemingly self-congratulatory nature of his tweet.
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
Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2016
This article first appeared on prweek.com.
