'We are united in grief': Solemn Obama addresses Orlando massacre
President Barack Obama was solemn and brief as he addressed the United States on Sunday following a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando that left at least 50 people dead, the deadliest such shooting in American history.
He was also direct.
"We know enough to know this was an act of terror and an act of hate, and as Americans we are united in grief," Obama said.
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Obama pledged support to Orlando and paid special attention to the location of the attack.
"This is an especially heartbreaking day for our friends, our fellow Americans, who are lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual," he said. "The place they were attacked is more than an nightclub. It is a place of solidarity and empowerment."
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A gunman -- identified in other media reports as Omar Mateen -- walked into a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida and opened fire early Sunday morning in what officials called a well-planned attack.
Officials are investigating whether he has ties to larger groups.
The man may have had "leanings toward" extremism, according to Ron Hopper, who heads the FBI's Orlando bureau.
The shooter was fatally shot by police.
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Obama ended his statement with a call for increased gun control.
He called the massacre a "further reminder" of how easy it is for Americans to get their hands on guns and use them to end the lives of others.
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Topics Gun Control LGBTQ
Colin is Mashable's US & World Reporter. He previously interned at Foreign Policy magazine and The American Prospect. Colin is a graduate from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. When he's not at Mashable, you can most likely find him eating or playing some kind of sport.
