MUSLIMS SHOW LOVE TO FLORIDA SHOOTING VICTIMS
The American Muslim community reacted with an expression of love and support in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, the shooting in the gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The support of the Muslim community came in the form of fundraisers, blood donations and public statements that firmly condemned the violence that claimed the lives of 49 victims at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub last Sunday morning, leaving almost 50 injured. Pulse was a haven for Orlando’s LGBTQ community. Muslim organizations and activists across the country have spoken out against the shooting, explicitly calling it a hate crime.
The gunman, identified as 29-year-old Omar Mateen, reportedly called police about 20 minutes into the shooting, pledging his allegiance to ISIS.
The regional coordinator for Orlando’s branch of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Rasha Mubarak, said in a statement:
“We condemn this monstrous attack and offer our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of all those killed or injured. The Muslim community joins our fellow Americans in repudiating anyone or any group that would claim to justify or excuse such an appalling act of violence.”