In the wake of what is now America's largest and most deadly mass shooting in its history, Auburn faculty members are planning a candlelight vigil to pay respects and send support to those who lost their lives in the Orlando, Florida, terrorist attack Sunday.
Jennifer Brooks, associate professor of history, helped to organize the vigil.
"It's a vigil in remembrance and honor of the victims of the Orlando shooting and to stand in solidarity with victims of gun violence and with the LGBTQ communities," Brooks said. "And basically stand against bigotry, intolerance and gun violence."
The vigil is planned for 7:30 p.m. on the campus side of Toomer's Corner. Attendees are asked to wear orange to stand against gun violence or rainbow colors to stand with the LGBT community.
According to the Associated Press, 49 people died in the attack yesterday and more than 50 others were wounded in the attack on Pulse Orlando club, a gay nightclub.
Officials from the FBI and the White House confirmed that the killer, Omar Mateen, was a "homegrown extremist" who "espoused support for a jumble of often-conflicting Islamic organizations."
Mateen, an American citizen born in New York who had previously been investigated by the FBI, was killed in a raid by the police. Mateen wielded two legally purchased firearms, an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and a handgun, to commit the attack, according to the AP.
"The one thing that we can say is that this is being treated as a terrorist investigation," said President Barack Obama in remarks on Sunday. "It appears that the shooter was inspired by various extremist information that was disseminated over the Internet."
Mateen's father suggested another motive that has some saying this attack was a hate crime in addition to a terrorist attack. The father said Mateen became angry months prior when two men kissed in front of his family in Miami, which later led to his attack on the gay nightclub.
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