BEIJING, June 13 (Xinhua) -- The American society has been buzzing with measures to prevent further gun-related violence in the United States, after a shooting spree in an Orlando nightclub left 50 dead and 53 wounded on Sunday.
Orlando Police Chief John Mina said that the 29-year-old Omar Mateen, the U.S. alleged shooter of Afghan descent, had an assault rifle and a handgun. Officials revealed that he had legally purchased guns in days prior to the massacre.
U.S. President Barack Obama expressed his frustration over the failure to enact stricter gun control laws, saying that the murder, or "the most deadly shooting in American history," was a further reminder of how easy it was to acquire a deadly weapon in the United States and shoot people in a "school, or a house of worship, or a movie theater, or in a nightclub".
"We have to decide if that is the kind of country we want to be," he said. "And to actively do nothing is a decision as well."
Senator Chris Murphy urged Congress to pass a gun control law in a statement, warning "this epidemic will continue without end if Congress continues to sit on its hands and do nothing -- again."
His Vermont colleague Bernie Sanders also said on TV that "we should not be selling automatic weapons which are designed to kill people."
On the Republican' side, the once anti-gun control grounds are breaking, as former South Dakota Senator Larry Pressler endorsed Hillary Clinton who "is anti-(National Rifle Association) -- and remember that these domestic terrorists also buy automatic weapons ... Unfortunately the Republican candidate Trump has pledged total cooperation with the NRA."
A day earlier, Trump suggested in Tampa that people be armed to fight back against mass shooters. "Let the bullets go in the other direction. BOOM. BOOM. BOOM."
On social media, the division is also explicit. Film maker Dustin Lance Black said "our love and prayers are not enough. GUN. CONTROL. NOW."
Famous producer Bradly Bredeweg said that "it is two easy to get a gun -- weapons of mass destruction -- in this country. The laws MUST change ... Anyone who owns a gun should do so under intense scrutiny -- you must pass a test, learn how to properly use it, pay fees to own it, and have your name and address listed on a database."
"It's all just so insane to me that it's more difficult to get a damn license to drive and own a car than it is to own and operate a gun. Gun control Now!" he said.
However, conservative commentator Dan Bongino on his account bombast Obama for trying to use the tragedy to push for his gun control campaign.
"This POTUS never fails to move the bar for leadership lower,"he said. "Obama uses Orlando attack to call for gun control."
Such a statement was refuted by Toula Drimonis, who said that "to those saying 'this is not the times to talk gun control,' the number of times you've already had to say this doesn't horrify you?"
Netizens also questioned the effectiveness of the U.S. current qualification check of the gun buyers, as Leah the Boss said "he had a background check. He had a license. He also had a security officer license. So tell me some more about 'gun control.'"
According to the Mass Shooting Tracker, the United States suffered 372 mass shootings last year, killing 475 people and injuring 1,870 others.
