Frozen star Josh Gad is heartbroken and angry after finding out his friend’s son died in Wednesday’s school shooting in Florida.
The 36-year-old actor revealed his grief on Twitter while calling for stricter gun laws and slamming Florida republican senator Marco Rubio for taking $3.3million in funding from the National Rifle Association.
‘I am so angry tonight. I am so sad. I’m putting my phone down because we are debating sensible gun laws again,’ he posted on Wednesday night.
‘I am so angry tonight’: Josh Gad has expressed his anger and grief at learning a family friend’s son was killed in the Florida school shooting on Wednesday
‘A child of one of our friend’s has a bullet in his chest & is critical condition because a 19 year old had access to a military weapon. Pretend it’s normal. It’s not.’ he added.
Nikolas Cruz, 19, walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Parkland, Florida on Wednesday and started shooting at students with an AR-15 rifle, killing 17 and injuring countless others.
As new broke on Wednesday the Love & Other Drugs actor tweeted: ‘Just learned some horrible and shocking news involving a family friend who’s son was shot today at the school. Please put out lots of good vibes and prayers for he and all of the other families navigating this nightmarish day.’
The next day Gad revealed the boy had died.
The 36-year-old actor tweeted after finding out that his friend’s son was in critical condition before revealing on Thursday morning that he had died
‘My grief knows no bounds’: Gad later slammed ‘our worthless leaders’ after finding out the boy died
‘Shocking’: When news first broke of yet another school shooting in America, Gad asked his followers for their prayers
‘Last night, I received a text while I slept that our friend’s son passed away from his gun shot wound. My grief for this family and the many others knows no bounds. I’m so sorry this happened. I’m so sorry our leaders are worthless. I’m so sorry we are bound to repeat this again.’ he wrote in the heartbreaking tweet.
In an early morning post the Beauty and the Beast star – who was born in Hollywood, Florida – slammed senator Rubio.
He wrote: ‘As a Floridian, please let me be among the masses to tell you, you are a spineless coward @marcorubio and I hope your 3.3 million dollars in NRA funding comes with ear plugs that allow you to tune out the mourning cries of children and parents everywhere.’
Angry: Early Wednesday morning the Frozen star called Florida senator Marco Rubio a coward for accepting $3.3 million from the National Rifle Association
Disbelief: Gad revealed his frustration at the number of school shootings taking place across the country
Doting dad: The actor is pictured with his daughter Ava on a recent ski trip
Rubio elicited rage when he tweeted in the wake of the horrific massacre: ‘Just finished update from fed authorities on #FloridaSchoolShooting. It is clear attack was designed & executed to maximize loss of life’.
One woman tweeted in response: ‘You take millions from the NRA and voted against outlawing the weapon used today,’
Another user wrote: ‘How about this time you skip the thoughts and prayers and actually do something to keep our children from being slaughtered in their classrooms. Signed, a Florida voter.’
Gad has two daughters, six-year-old Ava and three-year-old Isabella, with TV producer Ida Darvish who he married in 2008.
Partner: The Love & Other Drugs star has been married to Ida Darvish (pictured in 2015) since 2008
Family man: The couple are parents to six-year-old Ava and three-year-old Isabella