EU’s Mogherini Says Orlando Shooting A Tragedy For The Whole World

Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, said Sunday that the attack in Orlando, Florida, is “a tragedy not only for the American people, but for the whole world as all the massacres of people killed for their faith, for their sexual orientations, for their beliefs, in many countries are.”

Early Sunday morning a gunman, identified at as Omar Mateen, 29, a Florida resident and US citizen and son of immigrants from Afghanistan, took hostages at a gay nightclub that was celebrating an event in linked to gay pride week celebrations, killing 50 and wounding 53, before he was shot and killed by police.

Mogherini said, “Today, our thoughts and our hearts are with the families of the victims. We stand together in solidarity with the people of America, and especially with the LGBTI community which this hateful terror attack targeted.”

“As the European Union, we are committed to keep ensuring cooperation of our services on all levels, and standing proudly together. We share the same values of equality and non discrimination. And together we will continue to promote and defend those values,” Mogherini added.

US President Barack Obama has said that the shooting, “was an act of terror and an act of hate.” President Obama noted that while no definitive judgment on the precise motivations of Mateen, “The FBI is appropriately investigating this as an act of terrorism.”