HOMELAND INSECURITY

Shooting at Family Research Council, LGBT Organizations React

UPDATE: The shooter has been identified as Floyd Lee Corkins II, 28, of Herndon, VA.
A security guard at the D.C. headquarters of the Family Research Council, the ultraconservative anti-gay Christian lobbying group, was shot today by an unnamed gunman.

“The police are investigating this incident,” FRC president Tony Perkins said in a statement. “Our first concern is with our colleague who was shot today. Our concern is for him and his family.”

According to police, the shooter was confronted by security upon entering the lobby at 10:45am and proceeded to open fire, wounding a guard in the left arm. The suspect was then tackled and taken into custody.

The FRC opposes gay marriage and abortion, and “champions marriage and family as the foundation of civilization, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society. Fox News reports that the shooter “made statements regarding [FRC] policies” before opening fire—and a Wikipedia entry claims he told guards, “Don’t shoot me, it was not about you, it was what this place stands for”—but there’s no indication the shooter was gay or a supporter of gay rights.

On the FRC website, though, the attacks have already started:

Grace: It’s really a shame that there are so many intolerant people in this world! Intolerance is going to get a lot of people killed because there is so much anger! Homosexuals are just as intolerant of religion and religious values. It really is a shame! I pray for your colleague that he is ok. Thanks FRC for the work that you do.

Wow, a Fundamentalist lecturing gays on intolerance. I guess we’re the ones who have brought violent rhetoric to the issue? Fortunately, another commenter offered a quick rebuttal:

Marina M: I am sorry to hear about the shooting. Even though I stand against your organization’s opposition to gay rights, I still don’t think it is right to shoot or harm anyone whether just an employee or a member of any organization no matter what cause it promotes.

In addition, a number of LGBT organizations—including  GLAAD, GLSEN, the Human Rights Campaign and the National Center for Transgender Equality—released a joint statement regarding the shooting:

We were saddened to hear news of the shooting this morning at the offices of the Family Research Council. Our hearts go out to the shooting victim, his family, and his co-workers.

The motivation and circumstances behind today’s tragedy are still unknown, but regardless of what emerges as the reason for this shooting, we utterly reject and condemn such violence.  We wish for a swift and complete recovery for the victim of this terrible incident.

Federal authorities are treating the incident as a case of domestic terrorism. This is the fourth shooting in as many weeks that’s captured the nation’s attention, following the Dark Knight shootings in Aurora, Colorado, on July 20; a mass shooting at Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, on August 5; and 30-minute gunfight at Texas A&M University on Monday.

Sigh, maybe the end times are nigh.

 

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