Speaking at the White House today, President Obama told the press that the FBI is investigating today's mass shooting at a gay Orlando nightclub as an act of terrorism. 

Referring to the mass shooting that left over 50 people dead at Pulse nightclub, Obama said: 

Today as Americans we grieve the brutal murder, horrific massacre of dozens of innocent people. We pray for their families who are grasping for answers.

We stand with the people of Orlando who have endured a terrible attack on their city. Although it’s still early in the investigation, we know enough to say that this was an act of terror and an act of hate. And as Americans we are united in grief, in outrage, and in resolve to defend our people.

NBC News reports that the shooter, Omar S. Mateen of Port St. Lucie, Florida, had “ties to Islamic terrorism,” and made a 911 call before the shooting swearing allegiance to ISIS.  

President Obama says he met with both the FBI and his national and homeland security advisors, and that the city of Orlanod has his full support.



Obama continued:

We are still learning all the facts. This is an open investigation. We’ve reached no definitive judgment on the precise motivations of the killer.

The FBI is appropriately investigating this as an act of terrorism, and I’ve directed that we must spare no effort to determine what, if any, inspiration this killer may have had with terrorist groups. What is clear is that he was a person filled with hatred.

According to whitehouse.gov, today's speech was Obama's 18th public address on American mass shootings since taking office.