✣ Gunman kills nearly 50 people at nightclub
What happened? A gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 others after opening fire at random in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in the early hours of Sunday morning. The gunman, Omar Mateen, was shot dead by police. Although Mateen was known to the FBI, he had legally purchased an assault rifle the previous week in Florida. The FBI have said there are “strong indications” of “potential inspiration by foreign terrorist organisations”, but not of a direct plot. What US politicians are saying The killing provoked a series of reactions which demonstrated the divisions in American politics. As the Guardian observed, “Barack Obama struck a cautious tone in the immediate aftermath, stressing it was too soon to speculate on the precise motives” of the killer. But the presumptive presidential candidates made political points. Republican Donald Trump attacked Obama’s “weak” language, saying the President should step down because he did not use the words “radical Islam”. Trump also tweeted: “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism.” Hillary Clinton, who has spoken often in favour of greater gun control, said: “We need to keep guns like the ones used last night out of the hands of terrorists or other violent criminals.” What Catholics are saying Bishop John Noonan of Orlando said: “A sword has pierced the heart of our city. Since learning of the tragedy this morning, I have urged all to pray for the victims, the families and first responders.” Charles C Camosy at Crux said that “We should pray – not only for the victims, but for a gun-obsessed culture like ours that’s deeply unhealthy and even sick. It simply cannot be a witness to the Peaceable Kingdom of God in which swords will be beaten into ploughshares.” Fr Edward Beck, meanwhile, writing for the same site, said the attack, despite being Islamist, had provoked online criticism of Catholic sexual ethics. He said: “We are called to be vigilant in assuring the edicts of our traditions are never hijacked as apologia for nefarious ends.”
