Celebrities expressed their condolences and outrage that another American school was the target of a mass shooting after at least 17 people were killed in a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Wednesday.
Kim Kardashian West, Ellen DeGeneres and Reese Witherspoon were just a few of the many A-listers who shared their consolations to the victims and families affected by the tragedy and called for more to be done to stop this happening again.
“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,” tweeted the Keeping Up with the Kardashians reality star, who has become a firm supporter of the need to enact stricter gun legislation after her October 2016 Paris robbery.
“No words, no actions, no laws are enough until we end this epidemic of school shootings in our country. My heart is with the students and parents of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School,” DeGeneres, 60, 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
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) February 15, 2018
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No words, no actions, no laws are enough until we end this epidemic of school shootings in our country. My heart is with the students and parents of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) February 14, 2018
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“Heartbroken over the news of another school shooting. This is the 18th in 45 days of 2018. Students & teachers shouldn’t have to fear for their safety. We must do more to prevent these senseless acts of gun violence. My heart is w/ the people in Parkland, FL. Enough is enough,” echoed Witherspoon.
Other stars who shared messages on social media included Britney Spears, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Platt. Politicians Nancy Pelosi and Gabby Giffords, as well as Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and President Donald Trump, also tweeted in response to the shooting.
Heartbroken over the news of another school shooting. This is the 18th in 45 days of 2018. Students & teachers shouldn’t have to fear for their safety. We must do more to prevent these senseless acts of gun violence. My heart is w/ the people in Parkland, FL. Enough is enough.
— Reese Witherspoon (@RWitherspoon) February 15, 2018
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Just heard the tragic news about Florida. My heart breaks for the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Keeping the victims and their families in my thoughts
#PrayForParkland pic.twitter.com/pNZRuBVo2T
— Britney Spears (@britneyspears) February 15, 2018
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I’m an actor with limited political knowledge. There are things I don’t understand. But I‘ve been trying to imagine being a representative or senator watching kids getting shot in school every day only in the US, then choosing to focus my immediate daily efforts on anything else.
— Ben Platt (@BenSPLATT) February 15, 2018
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Those in PyeongChang, South Korea, covering the Winter Olympics, such as Savannah Guthrie and Johnny Weir, also expressed their sadness from afar.
The total number of casualties was confirmed as 17 on Wednesday evening. The suspect, who remains in custody, is a former student of the school who got expelled for disciplinary reasons.
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.
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) February 14, 2018
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We have to elect candidates that are not funded by the NRA in November. We have an opportunity to elect candidates who won’t allow kids to go to school and get shot. It is disgusting how many times this has happened and Republicans do nothing. You all have blood on your hands.
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) February 14, 2018
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Too many families have lost someone to the senseless epidemic of gun violence. Congress has a moral responsibility to take common sense action to prevent the daily tragedy of gun violence in communities across America. #EnoughIsEnough
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) February 14, 2018
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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.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 14, 2018
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Sending my deepest condolences to the parents, families and friends grieving tonight in Parkland, Florida, and wishing a full recovery to the injured. Canadians have you in our hearts.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 15, 2018
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Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said 12 people were killed within the school building, two people were killed just outside the building, one person was killed on a nearby street corner and two people died in the hospital.
My heart and prayers are with the victims and their dearest ones affected by this terrible shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. What a heinous tragedy.
— Johnny Weir (@JohnnyGWeir) February 14, 2018
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Parkland is a Fort Lauderdale suburb of about 30,000 people. The school has an enrollment of 3,208, according to the Broward County Public Schools website.
The city is now the site of the 18th school shooting in the U.S. this year.