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German arms giant deletes gun 'love' tweet after Florida carnage
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A man holds a UMP, a submachine gun developed and manufactured by German company Heckler and Koch which will be distributed to French police in the coming weeks, during a visit of the French interior minister to the Internal Security Purchasing, Equipment and Logistics Department (SAELSI) in Limoges on March 8, 2017.
(AFP/PASCAL LACHENAUD )
G
erman gunmaker Heckler & Koch apologized Thursday for a Valentine's tweet showing a gun surrounded by a heart shape of bullets posted shortly after an alleged white supremacist gunned down 17 people at his former Florida high school.
"On behalf of the company we apologize for this unfortunate mistake," said a statement posted on the company's website.
The tweet, which had the caption "From HK (Heckler & Koch) with love" was deleted.
Former student Nikolas Cruz, 19, was due to appear before magistrates Thursday charged with the premeditated murder of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, on Wednesday.
The harrowing shooting spree saw terrified students hiding in closets and under desks as they texted for help, while the gunman stalked the school with a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle.
Fifteen people were killed at the school itself, and two later died in hospital.
A Heckler & Koch spokesman said the message "came from our American subsidiary and was published on Facebook and Twitter accounts" but was taken down "following the terrible and tragic shooting" in Florida.
Founded in 1949, the firm is one of Europe's largest gunmakers and produces a variety of handguns and rifles used by several national militaries.
