Hi and welcome back after MLK weekend! As usual, Donald Trump has been active on Twitter, and has made some new enemies. Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Arrests Made in Orlando and Istanbul Nightclub Shootings

The FBI has arrested the wife of Omar Mateen, the man who carried out the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub last June in Orlando. The police interrogated Noor Salman early on in the investigation, but didn’t charge her with any crimes until now. She is accused of obstructing the investigation and aiding and abetting Mateen by providing material support, which means police believe she knew about her husband’s plans. But Salman has always claimed she didn’t know anything and has reported that Mateen was physically and mentally abusive.

Noor Salman, wife of Orlando massacre shooter Omar Mateen, has been arrested for aiding and abetting https://t.co/a1Da4h2Ssw pic.twitter.com/z6aIgpxukV

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) January 16, 2017

And in Turkey, police captured the suspect in the Istanbul New Year’s Eve nightclub attack, Abdulkadir Masharipov. The Uzbekistan citizen was still in Istanbul, hiding at a friend’s apartment with his four-year-old son, police said. Masharipov shot and killed 39 people and injured dozens more when he attacked the Reina nightclub. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack but it’s still unclear exactly how the terror organization contributed. Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said that the attack was “extremely planned and organized” and that it was carried out with the aid of an intelligence organization.

BREAKING: Main suspect in New Year’s Eve attack on #Reina nightclub in #Istanbul captured. – Reuters | #Turkey pic.twitter.com/fWP19qXmOx

— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) January 16, 2017

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.

The post RantCrush Top 5: January 17, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

The Morning After

Last night, it became clear that Donald Trump was the unexpected winner of the election and is going to be the 45th president of the United States. Wednesday morning saw people on the streets of New York in tears and many fear that this is the start of a xenophobic and sexist presidential period. The hashtag #StillWithHer trended on Wednesday morning.

I hope @HillaryClinton knows there was nothing more she could’ve done. She was a warrior. And she made me proud. #StillWithHer

— Max Weiss (@maxthegirl) November 9, 2016

Donald Trump doesn’t respect women, LGBT, Muslims, or any people of color. Therefor, I won’t be respecting him back. #NotMyPresident

— antonio (@antoniodelotero) November 9, 2016

But when the shock subsides, let’s come together and keep fighting to make the world better and more united, not more divided.

We all need to give President-Elect Trump a chance. Support the good. Lobby against what we disagree on. No one is bigger than us all

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) November 9, 2016

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: November 9, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

Donuts can be addictive–but they’re not drugs. That seems like common sense, but unfortunately an Orlando man named Daniel Rushing was arrested late last year because local police mistook dried Krispy Kreme donut icing in his car for meth. Now, Rushing is suing the city for $15,000 in damages due to that arrest, as well as the roadside drug test manufacturer that the police officer used.

Rushing was pulled over by Cpl. Shelby Riggs-Hopkins last December. He was pulled over for a legitimate reason–he failed to come to a complete stop after leaving a parking lot. He allowed the officer to search his car, and she found some donut frosting flakes. She described it in her report as “a rock like substance on the floor,” but Rushing insists he tried to tell her that it was just leftovers from his morning snack.

Rushing said:

Every other Wednesday, I get a glazed doughnut from Krispy Kreme. (Police) found four little pieces of icing on the floorboard, which I’m kind of embarrassed about because I should have, you know, vacuumed the car better.

So, Riggs-Hopkins used a roadside test to test the substance, and alleges that it tested positive for meth. But Riggs-Hopkins arrested Rushing on a drug possession charge and he spent almost 10 hours in jail before he was able to post bail. And a few weeks later, when the police tested the supposed meth in a lab, it was shown that there were no illicit substances in the frosting pieces.

In addition to suing the city of Orlando–he alleges that Riggs-Hopkins should have recognized that the substance wasn’t meth, and was improperly trained to use the roadside test–Rushing is suing Safariland, the company that produced the drug tests. According to local news, “Rushing hopes to force more scrutiny over the field tests.”

Rushing’s concerns are fair, but that hasn’t stopped the case from garnering some national attention–after all, donuts may be addictive, but they’re certainly not illegal.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Florida Man Sues After Police Mistake Donut Icing for Meth appeared first on Law Street.

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.

Fire at Orlando gunman’s mosque was ‘set intentionally,’ authorities say – Washington Post https://t.co/JeonpHAVT0 #breakingnews #news

— Breaking News (@140BreakingNews) September 12, 2016

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 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.

The post Fire at Orlando Shooter’s Mosque Investigated as Arson appeared first on Law Street.

“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

— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) June 14, 2016

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.

TEACH LOVE NOT HATE – what protestors at Verity Baptist Church chanting as church goers leave the service @FOX40pic.twitter.com/1EUpyNxIHE

— Sara Zendehnam (@szendehnam) June 19, 2016

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.

The hateful comments made by a preacher in Sacramento do not reflect Christian values and have no place in our society. #standwithorlando

— Kevin Johnson (@KJ_MayorJohnson) June 14, 2016

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.

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.

The post Church Asked to Move After Offensive Sermon Goes Viral appeared first on Law Street.

After last week’s tragedy in Orlando, Donald Trump doubled down on a major theme that has reverberated throughout his campaign: in Trump’s America, Muslims are not welcome.

In an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday, Trump referred to the profiling of Muslims as “common sense,” and claimed that American Muslims don’t do enough to “report” suspicious behavior in their communities. He also told Sean Hannity last week that Muslim assimilation in the U.S. has been close to “nonexistent.”

It’s not unusual for Trump to make controversial and misleading comments about Islam–since his campaign launched last year, such commentary has been a staple of his rhetoric. Last year, he made a claim that he saw Muslims in Jersey City “dancing in the streets” after 9/11, an accusation that has never been proven true. Then, after the San Bernardino attacks last December, Trump released a plan to ban Muslim immigration to the U.S. indefinitely, “until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the threat that it poses.”

Additionally, he has called for practices such as creating Muslim registries and putting surveillance on mosques, which would place Muslims in another category and treat them differently from other citizens.

His Islamophobia is not new, yet he has been able to use the Orlando attack to advocate for his harmful (and probably unconstitutional) policies toward the Muslim community. His latest round of comments continued to reflect the belief that Islam is somehow incompatible with American values, and that Muslims are fundamentally unable to assimilate into the American system while holding on to their belief systems.

At a rally in Atlanta on Friday, Trump told the crowd that the Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, was “born here, but his parents weren’t and ideas weren’t…his ideas were born from someplace else.” The idea that an American citizen by birth could be used as an example of why we need to curb immigration from Muslim countries is another means to alienate Muslims from the general populace. Trump’s grandparents and his own wife weren’t born here either–yet no one questions their devotion to this country.

Mateen and his ideas were not representative of American Muslims, yet Trump’s comments put the blame on his community for not reporting him (despite the fact that somebody actually did–and Mateen was still let off by the FBI).

Hate crimes towards Muslims reached a high last year, signaling that the environment is ripe for Trump’s rhetoric to permeate; if his ideas continue to spread, it will further create an environment that is hostile and harmful towards Islam in America.

Being “American” and being “Muslim” are not mutually exclusive, but Trump is suggesting that Muslims are lesser citizens than the rest of the American populace. Even if he doesn’t emerge victorious in November, it is likely that many of his ideas will continue to live on in the hearts and minds of his followers. If not viciously opposed, Trump’s rhetoric could continue to have a detrimental effect on the American Muslim community.

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

The post After Orlando Shooting, Trump Fans the Flames of Islamophobia  appeared first on Law Street.

The Supreme Court declined to hear a case challenging a gun ban in Connecticut Monday, sidestepping the debate on gun control yet again.

The ban, enacted in 2014, applies to semi-automatic guns like the one used in Orlando last week. Despite a challenge to the constitutionality of this ban, SCOTUS decided not to weigh in.

The Connecticut ban was created in response to the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 and replaced a federal ban that expired in 2014.

Since the Supreme Court won’t hear the case, the decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit that “because the prohibitions are substantially related to the important governmental interests of public safety and crime reduction, they pass constitutional muster,” will stand and the ban will remain in place.

THANK YOU SCOTUS for upholding the weapons ban, confirming that it’s not unconstitutional to ban AR-15 & other assault style #guns. #ENOUGH

— DorkPrincess (@Nu_Age_Girl) June 20, 2016

This isn’t the first time the gun debate has been turned away from the Supreme Court steps. In fact, SCOTUS has not taken up a case concerning civilian weapons since District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008, when the court ruled that individuals can keep guns in their homes for self protection.

@sawsharee @Hope012015 Living in California I’m handcuffed & shackled just for being a resident. #2A #Constitution

— imjustsaying Cruz (@tellthetruuuth) June 20, 2016

SCOTUS’s reluctance to get involved is nothing new, but its refusal is just one more spark in the flame for activists trying to fight firearms with fire.

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.

The post Supreme Court Won’t Hear Case on Connecticut Gun Ban appeared first on Law Street.

In the wake of the Orlando shooting, the debate over guns and gun control is now front and center in the political sphere. Earlier this week, Senate Democrats filibustered for almost 15 hours in order to pressure the Senate into talking about gun control. Social media has also been abuzz with arguments on both sides of the debate over gun control.

While all of these stories have been in the news, some specific decisions by lawmakers also drew national attention. Andy Holt, Tennessee state representative for the 76th district, has received criticism for his plan to give away not one, but two AR-15 assault riffles at a fundraiser later this month.

Holt announced this gift on Facebook last Friday, two days before the death of 49 people and injury of dozens more in the Orlando club. After the announcement, the Republican representative was criticized for his decision to raffle off two of these guns because of their similarity to one of the guns found on Omar Mateen, the Orlando shooter.

As a result Holt posted several Facebook posts defending his giveaways. Holt told the Tennessean, “We should not focus on the gun itself. We should focus on the depravity of the heart of the person who’s pulling the trigger.”

Needless to say, several members of the community were outraged by Holt’s giveaway following the horrific shooting.

Wonder if Andy Holt has thought out liability? Or morality, or decency? likely not. https://t.co/JfS8LYy3jE

— p-daddle (@payalayap) June 14, 2016

TN State Rep. Andy Holt is an insensitive, uncompassionate, and heartless man. #ShametoTN https://t.co/hkTXrjkPNB

— Jeremy Jordan (@j_mich23) June 14, 2016

Tenn. State Rep. Andy Holt is a disgrace to our state and tip the religion he professes to believe in. Boo. https://t.co/xkGPftBn06

— Jennifer W. Spirko (@jenspirko) June 14, 2016

In response to his decision, Holt received death threats, although there is confusion over whether or not the threats were real. Following the threats, Holt blamed the media for the negativity surrounding his event:

So, thanks to the brilliant media for their lies that have resulted in death threats to my family and staffer. Not that we are afraid seeing as how we’ve got our shotgun rifles, 4-wheel drive, and know how to survive. But, it is sad. In fact, it’s disgusting.

In addition to his other Facebook posts, Holt responded to his critics with some harsh words:

I’m sick and tired of the media and liberal politicians attacking our right to keep and bear arms. I’ll do everything I can to ensure the 2nd Amendment is protected and people are equipped to exercise their innate right to self-defense. SHARE if you’re standing with me! I wonder if I were giving away airplanes if the headlines would read… “Evil Andy Holt giving away same model of airplane used in 9/11 terror attack for law abiding citizens to use…”

It comes as no surprise that Holt’s decision to raffle off guns is so controversial, given the heavy media coverage surrounding gun violence in the last week. As tragedies like Orlando continue to happen and gun death counts continue to rise, debates over how accessible guns should be will only become more prevalent.

We, as a country, need to decide if 93 gun deaths in 72 hours is a statistic we can live with, in the name of the Second Amendment. Or, maybe, we will work to shape gun policy and stop letting Representatives like Holt control the narrative on what our right to bear arms should look like at the expense of thousands of lives a year.

Alexandra Simone

Alex Simone is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street and a student at The George Washington University, studying Political Science. She is passionate about law and government, but also enjoys the finer things in life like watching crime dramas and enjoying a nice DC brunch. Contact Alex at ASimone@LawStreetmedia.com

The post Tennessee Lawmaker Gives Away Guns at Fundraiser appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

CNN’s Anderson Cooper Grills Florida Attorney General

Anderson Cooper got up in Florida AG Pam Bondi’s face about her perceived hypocrisy following the Orlando shooting. Bondi certainly had her feathers ruffled and was very much unable to explain herself when Cooper asked why she claimed to be a champion for gay and lesbians even though her Twitter feed was littered with posts supporting animal rights, and she argued against gay marriage in court. Woof!

.@andersoncooper grills Florida AG Pam Bondi over gay rights record https://t.co/KYvuZ7srCP https://t.co/pGTkx0KVkN

— CNN (@CNN) June 14, 2016

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: June 15, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

Orlando gunman Omar Mateen’s wife feared he would do something drastic and violent when he left their home on Saturday night, but he assured her he was just going to meet his friends. Authorities are now investigating how much 30-year old Noor Zahi Salman actually knew about her husband’s plans to attack the gay nightclub Pulse. Whether she will face any criminal charges is still unclear.

Both “Scoped Out” Orlando Locations

According to recent reports, Mateen had his wife drive him to Pulse nightclub in Orlando earlier in June to “scope it out.” They lived two hours away, in Port St. Lucie. They also looked into other locations, such as Disney World and the shopping complex Disney Springs. Salman was also with Mateen when he bought ammunition and a holster. Investigators said it’s unclear whether she knew of his eventual intentions at the time, though an anonymous law enforcement source told Reuters that she did. She could face criminal charges as early as Wednesday.

Gay Pride, Ramadan, and Solidarity After Orlando… https://t.co/VX4UwUW2m1 pic.twitter.com/w9Bk3heK2H

— LGBT NYC (@lgbtnyc015) June 15, 2016

Responding to speculation over whether or not Mateen was secretly gay, his father Seddique Mateen said that his son’s marriage was good and that if he were gay his wife of three and a half years would have known about it. He also said that Mateen was really upset when he once saw two men kissing. However, regulars at Pulse nightclub said Mateen came there frequently to meet men.

Mateen was married twice, and his ex-wife described their five-month marriage in 2009 as violent and abusive, calling him bipolar and emotionally disturbed. He would beat her, pull her hair, and keep her from seeing her family. She also told TIME that he had some behaviors that “most straight men don’t”, such as spending a long time in front of the mirror and “little movements with his body.”

ISIS Twitter accounts hacked to show support for gay pride message https://t.co/m42lYrURSK pic.twitter.com/rig116zlHt

— Dennis Jansen (@dennisjansen) June 15, 2016

A Complicated Picture

The motive for the shootings is still unclear. Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS when he called 911 during the attack at Pulse, but according to authorities he was self-radicalized over the Internet and there are no signs of a connection to the organization. Opinions about his personal life differ, with his father calling him homophobic, and his ex-wife thought he wasn’t “totally straight.” Neighbors described him as a completely normal man, while gay men he met at Pulse said he was “strange.”

The mass shooting in Orlando is the largest in US history and killed 49 people and leaving 53 injured. Even though FBI investigated the shooter in 2013 and 2014, he was legally able to buy weapons and ammunition. He was killed after a three-hour standoff with police.

Read Law Street’s original post about the Pulse attack here.

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.

The post Orlando Shooter’s Wife Knew About Attack, Could Face Charges appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to the RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through the top five controversial and crazy stories in the world of law and policy each day. So who is ranting and who is raving today? Check it out below:

Gay Blood Donors Barred From Giving To Orlando Shooting Victims

Today hundreds lined up at blood banks all over Orlando in support of the injured victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting. Many do-gooders, however, will be turned away due to a ban the FDA has enforced on the gay community. Gay and bisexual men who have had sex with another man in the past 12 months are not permitted to give blood. This has outraged some in the community who simply want to support their LGBT “brothers and sisters” who were injured in the massacre. Sunday’s attack is said to be the worst mass shooting in American history, leaving forty-nine people dead and many grieving.

Blood banks in Orlando are overwhelmed by people queuing for hours. – but many gay man cannot donate blood.https://t.co/C1AA8BI61R

— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) June 13, 2016

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: June 13, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

It was a very dark weekend for Orlando, Florida. On Friday night, singer Christina Grimmie was shot to death following her concert, after which the gunman took his own life. Police have now identified the man as Kevin James Loibl, 27, but his motives are still unknown.

Grimmie opened for the band Before You Exit at the Plaza Live in Orlando, and then spent some time meeting fans and writing autographs. That’s when Loibl seized his opportunity and shot her with a small handgun. Grimmie’s brother immediately rushed to tackle the shooter to the ground, which prevented more people from being harmed, said the Orlando police in a statement. Loibl then shot himself. Grimmie later died in the hospital from her injuries.

OPD can confirm 27 year old Kevin James Loibl, suspect who shot Christina Grimmie, is from St Petersburg, FL pic.twitter.com/iN6RUi3VRx

— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) June 11, 2016

Why Loibl shot Grimmie is still a mystery and the police have been searching his computer and phone to try and determine whether they knew each other, or if he had any other reason to want her dead. What we do know is that he lived in St. Petersburg, but traveled the two hours to Orlando carrying two handguns and a big hunting knife, just to kill Grimmie, and was planning on returning home afterwards. Reports say he went by public transportation, and that he had no previous criminal record.

This is a note posted to the door of Loibl’s family home in St. Petersburg:

Here is the note on the door of home where Kevin Loibl lived. #ChristinaGrimmie @FOX13News pic.twitter.com/dMDqtfELcb

— Evan Lambert FOX 13 (@EvanLambertTV) June 11, 2016

Twenty-two-year-old Grimmie had her breakthrough in the sixth season of the “Voice” that aired on NBC two years ago. She was coached by Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, who has offered to pay for the funeral. Social media was filled with tributes to Grimmie by Levine and others in the music industry over the weekend.

Behati and I are absolutely devastated and heartbroken by Christina Grimmie’s death. Our hearts go out to her family pic.twitter.com/y4OMkm0uXu

— Adam Levine (@adamlevine) June 11, 2016

Before You Exit, the band she was touring with, tweeted this message:

Today we lost an angel, sister, and a beloved friend. #RipChristina pic.twitter.com/EkwTKsaLFr

— Before You Exit⇞ (@beforeyouexit) June 11, 2016

NBC’s Carson Daly is the host of “The Voice” and told TODAY: “Christina really was, she was special. She would walk in a room and have an infectious laugh. She was determined; she was confident. But she was so incredibly sweet.”

My heart is absolutely broken. I miss you Christina pic.twitter.com/KWGwZZlj4t

— Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) June 11, 2016

Grimmie was a personal friend of Selena Gomez and her family. Gomez’s stepdad, who was also Grimmie’s manager, started a fundraiser to help Grimmie’s family out and has so far raised over $120,000.

Grimmie’s killing was followed early Sunday morning by the deadliest mass shooting in American history at a gay nightclub, also in Orlando.

See Law Street’s piece on whether mass shootings could actually lead to looser gun laws.

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.

The post Police Identifies Gunman Who Killed Singer Christina Grimmie appeared first on Law Street.

Last night, in a tragic turn of events, more than 50 people were killed and more than 50 others wounded in a late night shooting and hostage situation in Orlando, Florida. Now considered the deadliest mass shooting in American history, the tragedy took place in a gay Orlando nightclub called Pulse.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has now declared a state of emergency in the city. The shooter has been identified as Omar Mateen, 29, of Port St. Lucie, which is roughly 12o miles from Orlando. He was killed by police. He brought multiple weapons into the club, including an AR-15 and a handgun–Orlando’s police chief John Mina said that: “it appears he was organized and well-prepared.”

It is unclear at this point exactly what Mateen’s motivation was, but sources are reporting that he swore ISIS alliance.

As of right now, many survivors are being treated at local hospitals, and there is an urgent need for blood donations in the area.

County fire officials @Local2057IAFF say Orlando has a “urgent need” for blood donations following mass shooting pic.twitter.com/IdTQCPoWk7

— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) June 12, 2016

June is pride month in the United States, and pride celebrations occurred in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, and other cities this weekend. Many of those events took some time to recognize last night’s victims–it was announced that the LA Pride Parade today began with a moment of silence for the victims in Orlando.

D.C.’s Capital Pride Festival also held a moment of silence.

From the US Capitol,our thoughts are with the people of Orlando. 1pm moment of silence at today’s Pride Concert. pic.twitter.com/ct4Y4uxQ69

— Capital Pride (@CapitalPrideDC) June 12, 2016

Some of the pride celebrations this weekend, like the one in Philadelphia, announced that they will be adding additional security to the venues.

The FBI and other officials have warned that a lengthy investigation into the shooting a the Orlando nightclub will be conducted–more details are sure to come as the investigation proceeds.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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It may be the happiest place on earth, but it’s also one that needs serious security. Officials at Disney World just announced that it’s upping both visible and behind-the-scenes security measures, and other theme parks nationwide are taking similar actions.

One of the most visible new measures added to the Disney World parks located in Orlando, Florida will be metal detectors. Guests won’t be allowed to bring toy guns, including squirt guns, inside, and Disney is also stopping the sale of such products. For example, the Pirates of the Caribbean theme shop used to sell plastic guns–those will be removed from the shelves. The parks will also no longer allow anyone over the age of 14 to walk around in costumes or masks (besides, of course, employees.) Disney World has also beefed up security overall–placing additional law enforcement officials within the parks, and using dogs on patrol. Disneyland, located in California, is also upping its security. 

Disney isn’t alone in instituting new security measures. SeaWorld has also begun using metal detectors to screen entering guests, and Universal Studios is testing wand detectors. Officials at Disney and Universal have said that the new security features weren’t sparked by the actions of the San Bernardino shooters, or any other threat of terror. In fact, Universal spokesman Tom Schroder told the Orland Sentinal:

We want our guests to feel safe when they come here. We’ve long used metal detection for special events, such as Halloween Horror Nights. This test is a natural progression for us as we study best practices for security in today’s world.

Disney and Sea World spokespeople echoed similar sentiments.

However, these announcements do come right after a statement from the Department of Homeland Security that instructed Americans to expect more security and police presence at big gathering locations, stating it was: “especially concerned that terrorist-inspired individuals and homegrown violent extremists may be encouraged or inspired to target public events or places.”

It makes sense that Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal are instituting more robust security features, and it doesn’t look like any of these new features will really affect guests’ experiences. But if anything they’re a sad reminder of the violence–particularly gun violence–that has become increasingly commonplace in the United States.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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