Orlando Shooting – Law Street https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com Law and Policy for Our Generation Wed, 13 Nov 2019 21:46:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8 100397344 Fire at Orlando Shooter’s Mosque Investigated as Arson https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/news/fire-orlando-shooters-mosque-investigated-arson/ https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/news/fire-orlando-shooters-mosque-investigated-arson/#respond Mon, 12 Sep 2016 18:42:12 +0000 http://lawstreetmedia.com/?p=55420

The fire comes right after 9/11 and the morning before the big Muslim holiday Eid-al-Adha.

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Image courtesy of [Ken Hawkins via Flickr]

Sunday night a fire broke out at the Florida mosque that Orlando shooter Omar Mateen used to attend. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said it got a 911 call around 12:30 am Monday and fire crews were sent to extinguish the fire at the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce. According to the authorities, security footage obtained from the mosque indicated it might be arson. In a statement they said:

Video captured at the Fort Pierce Islamic Center shows an individual approached the east side of the building just moments before a flash is seen and the fire starts […] As soon as we are able, we will release the video of this incident and ask for the public to assist us in identifying the person or persons responsible.

The timing of the fire is particularly troublesome as it comes right after 9/11 and the morning before the big Muslim holiday Eid-al-Adha, the holiday of the sacrifice. It’s a major Muslim holiday that is celebrated by prayer, visits to family and friends, exchange of gifts, and feasts. It goes on for four days and commemorates when God appeared to Ibraham and asked him to sacrifice his son. As Ibraham was ready to do so, God stopped him and rewarded him for his loyalty.

David Thompson from the Sheriff’s Office spoke to reporters early Monday morning, saying:

I don’t want to speculate on a motive. We all know the implications of the date and the time of year that this is — the 9/11 anniversary. Is that related? I wouldn’t want to speculate, but certainly that is in the back of our minds.

Omar Mateen, who was responsible for the mass shooting at the gay nightclub Pulse in June, occasionally visited the Islamic Center to pray with his family. People there described him as quiet and focused on his prayers. If this connection is the reason that someone put the mosque on fire remains to be seen. It is also unclear how badly damaged the mosque was. People that wish to pray and honor Eid-al-Adha were asked to go to other mosques nearby.

Emma Von Zeipel
Emma Von Zeipel
Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

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]]> https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/news/fire-orlando-shooters-mosque-investigated-arson/feed/ 0 55420 Church Asked to Move After Offensive Sermon Goes Viral https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/blogs/culture-blog/church-asked-move-sermon-goes-viral/ https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/blogs/culture-blog/church-asked-move-sermon-goes-viral/#respond Thu, 23 Jun 2016 21:20:05 +0000 http://lawstreetmedia.com/?p=53385

Verity Baptist Church's sermon praised the killing of 49 people at Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

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Image Courtesy of [Fibonacci Blue via Flickr]

“I think Orlando, Florida, is a little safer tonight…The tragedy is more of them didn’t die…I’m kind of upset he didn’t finish the job!”

Those were the words preached by Verity Baptist Church Pastor Roger Jimenez to his congregation in Sacramento, California, in the wake of the Orlando shooting, the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

Sacramento pastor says Orlando nightclub shooter should have killed more gay people https://t.co/HFXkbES4ZK pic.twitter.com/EMGpvVp5uD

As a result of Jimenez’s sermon, the church’s landlord is respectfully asking it to leave. Harsch Investment Properties indicated to the church that it would not be renewing its lease in March 2017, and asked the church to consider moving out of the Northgate Business Park prior to that date with no penalty.

Harsch released a statement detailing its decision and the reasoning behind it.

“Like all Americans, we grieve for the fallen and injured,” the statement said. “In the 66 years since our company was founded, we have stood for the rights of all individuals, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, to live their lives and follow their dreams.”

The Verity Baptist Church gained widespread attention after its June 12 sermon was posted online, where Jimenez celebrated the 49 tragic deaths at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. His statements generated anger and prompted protests on Sunday, June 19.

Harsch asked that the protests be peaceful and that protestors make sure to have the proper permits and be respectful to the other tenants in the business park.

“We have many places of worship and other religious organizations in the properties we manage,” the statement said. “Like all our tenants, their occupancy rights are protected in their leases, but we will not tolerate tenants who advocate hatred and the taking of innocent lives.”

Jimenez told The Sacramento Bee that his sermon was not meant to incite violence against the LGBT community.

“All I’m saying is that when people die who deserve to die, it’s not a tragedy,” Jimenez told The Bee.

His comments received backlash from Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.

A group of 700 pastors known as the Sacramento City Pastors Fellowship issued a statement regarding Jimenez’s comments, according to The Sacramento Bee, saying:

These comments, applauding the death of innocent people, are completely contrary to the Bible’s teaching and God’s heart…His statements do not represent Jesus nor hundreds of Sacramento pastors whose hearts have been broken and are praying for the loved ones so tragically affected by this cowardly act.

The church has not indicated whether or not it will be moving.
Julia Bryant
Julia Bryant
Julia Bryant is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street from Howard County, Maryland. She is a junior at the University of Maryland, College Park, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Economics. You can contact Julia at JBryant@LawStreetMedia.com.

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]]> https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/blogs/culture-blog/church-asked-move-sermon-goes-viral/feed/ 0 53385 Orlando Shooting: How did Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Respond? https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/elections/candidates-tweets-orlando-shooting/ https://legacy.lawstreetmedia.com/elections/candidates-tweets-orlando-shooting/#respond Mon, 13 Jun 2016 17:24:57 +0000 http://lawstreetmedia.com/?p=53119

This is how our presidential hopefuls responded to the nation's recent tragedy.

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"Vigil" Courtesy of [Lindsay Shaver via Flickr]

In the wake of a tragic shooting in Orlando, Florida early June 12, President Barack Obama addressed the nation in a televised press conference, while presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton took to Twitter to comment. Here’s a tweet-by-tweet look at how each candidate responded to the national tragedy.

Trump sent out the first tweet, about two hours after Orlando police tweeted that the shooter was dead.

Clinton followed, expressing her concern as she awaited new information.

Trump did not tweet exclusively about the event, but tweeted more frequently than Clinton throughout the day.

Clinton posted Spanish translations of select tweets.

Trump tweeted in anticipation of Obama’s address to the nation.

Clinton’s account quoted her throughout her public statement.

Trump brought the election into the conversation.

Clinton addressed the LGBT community and expressed her thoughts about gun control.

Trump ended the day’s tweets by commenting on what he felt the nation needed from its leadership.

Even though each candidate chose to address the tragedy differently, they both were united in sharing their condolences for the victims and their families.

Samantha Reilly
Samantha Reilly
Samantha Reilly is an editorial intern at Law Street Media. A New Jersey native, she is pursuing a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. Contact Samantha at SReilly@LawStreetMedia.com.

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