Kim Kardashian is among those who have called for a change in gun control laws in the US after a horrific school shooting in Florida in which a 19-year-old man killed 17 people on Wednesday. The teenager, who was named as Nikolas Cruz, was arrested following the attack. It is the deadliest school shooting since 26 people were killed in the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012, and the sixth school shooting to take place in the US in 2018 that has wounded or killed students. Celebrities have taken to social media to demand stricter gun control, and to pay tribute to the victims.
The shooting killed 17 people
Kim tweeted: "We owe it to our children and our teachers to keep them safe while at school. Prayers won't do this: action will. Congress, please do your job and protect Americans from senseless gun violence." She also retweeted a message which read: "One shoe bomber tried to blow up a plane and now we are forced to take off our shoes. 1606 mass shootings since Sandy Hook Elementary School and Congress has done NOTHING." Mark Ruffalo wrote: "Prayers without accordant action are silent lies told to oneself, heard by no God, amounting to nothing. Action is the language of truth, the prayers of the Saints." Elizabeth Banks shared a picture with 'Thoughts and Prayers' crossed out, instead reading 'Policy and Change', and wrote: "Sending my love to #parkland. #guncontrol #policyandchange."
We owe it to our children and our teachers to keep them safe while at school. Prayers won't do this: action will. Congress, please do your job and protect Americans from senseless gun violence
President Donald Trump also spoke about the tragedy, writing: "My prayers and condolences to the families of the victims of the terrible Florida shooting. No child, teacher or anyone else should ever feel unsafe in an American school," adding: "Just spoke to Governor Rick Scott. We are working closely with law enforcement on the terrible Florida school shooting."
READ: The Queen leads celebrity tributes to Las Vegas shooting victims