FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Correction, 28 August 2025: An earlier version of this release included the shooter’s name. In keeping with our policy of denying notoriety to mass murderers, we have removed it. The focus must remain on the victims, their families, and the community.
Daytona Beach, FL, 27 August 2025: Operation Blazing Sword – Pink Pistols (“Pink Pistols”) condemns the senseless actions taken by a mass murderer against Annunciation Catholic School and Church. None of the killer’s actions reflect in any manner the purposes of Pink Pistols. The gender identity of the shooter is immaterial, and any connection to this clearly mentally ill and suicidal individual must not be laid upon the LGBTQ community as a whole. Pink Pistols categorically and unequivocally condemns, denounces, and repudiates any such actions that are attributed to the LGBTQ community as a whole.
It is clear from the published manifesto that this criminal was extremely homicidal and suicidal. However, there are thousands of law-abiding LGBTQ gun owners who live peaceful lives despite being labeled as deviant, mentally ill, and other derogatory terms simply for living as their authentic selves and loving one another. It is criminals who commit crimes, not people of a specific race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or any other demographic subset. We at Pink Pistols strive, both as individual members and as a group, to overcome this social stigma and to defend ourselves by every legal means necessary. The motto of Pink Pistols, “Armed Queers Don’t Get Bashed,” explains our ethos succinctly.
At no other time in recent history has the fight for both transgender rights and firearm rights been more critical. We have seen legislation banning critical gender-affirming care, preventing many transgender people from living happy, authentic lives. We have also seen legislation, in reaction to NYSRPA v. Bruen, banning the lawful carry of firearms, preventing many people from protecting themselves from life-ending and happiness destroying violence.
Pink Pistols believes it is the natural right of all people, including LGBTQ people, to be able to protect themselves and their loved ones against criminal violence. Furthermore, Pink Pistols denounces any non-defensive use of violence perpetrated in our name.
Operation Blazing Sword, Inc. is a grass-roots 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping queer people become responsible firearm owners through volunteer education by maintaining a database of over 1500 queer-friendly firearm volunteer educators residing in every state of the USA. It also submits legal briefs (Amicus Curiae) to protect the rights of not just queer people, but all peaceable citizens, to have access to the most effective tools for self-defense. www.blazingsword.org
Pink Pistols, a division of Operation Blazing Sword, is dedicated to the legal, safe, and responsible use of firearms for self-defense of the gender and sexual minority community. www.pinkpistols.org
Media Contact: Erin Palette, 386-401-0386 (text), erin@blazingsword.org
Download PDF version: OBS Minneapolis PresserV2