Lawmakers Respond to Deadly School Shooting in Florida

Current and former lawmakers are speaking out after  a school shooting  in Florida left at least 17 people dead. "This happens nowhere else other than the United States of America.

This epidemic of mass slaughter, this scourge of school shooting after school shooting," Sen.

Chris Murphy said.

Murphy has been an  outspoken advocate  of gun control legislation for years.

He represents Connecticut, the state where the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting happened in 2012. "It only happens here not because of coincidence, not because of bad luck, but as a consequence of our inaction.

We are responsible," Murphy said.

SEE MORE: 2018 Has Seen At Least 5 School Shootings In Just A Month And A Half Former Rep.

Gabby Giffords  called on Congress  to act and denounced politicians that "vote against our safety." Giffords was shot in the head in 2011 at a meet-and-greet in Tucson, Arizona.

Florida Sen.

Marco Rubio tweeted updates of the  event and said , "Today is that terrible day you pray never comes." President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence  also tweeted  their condolences.

Trump said, "No child, teacher or anyone else should ever feel unsafe in an American school." Additional reporting from  Newsy affiliate CNN .