Grief of Orlando victims' kin was beyond description: Prez Obama

Washington, June 17: US President Barack Obama on Thursday (June 17) said after meeting kin of the victims of the mass shooting that took place in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, that their grief was beyond description, a National Public Radio (NPR) report said.

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"Through their pain and through their tears, they told us about the joy that their loved ones had brought to their lives," Obama said, adding: "These families could be our families. In fact, they are our families - they're part of the American family ... our hearts are broken too." [While Mateen killed 49, Imran Yousuf saved 70 lives]

Forty-nine people were killed after a 29-year-old gunman opened firing in Pulse night club while over 50 were injured. The killer, Omar Mateen, was also killed by the security froces.

Obama, who has got a few months left in office, appealed for unity across political lines to stop militant activity during his two-hour long meeting with the victims' kin. [Obama 'directly responsible' for Orlando shooting: John McCain]

He said: "Given the last two terrorist attacks on our soil - Orlando and San Bernardino - were homegrown, carried out, it appears, not by external plotters, not by vast networks or sophisticated cells but [by] deranged individuals warped by the hateful propaganda that they'd seen over the Internet, then we're going to have to do more to prevent these attacks from occurring." [Shootings to recur in absence of strict gun control laws: Obama]

The US president said such attacks require a different way of handling and called for further restrictions on the gun culture, which is being seen as a major social menace in the country.

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