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In the wake of America's latest mass shooting, a local journalist is watching messages appear online, from people desperate to find their loved ones.

"People who have not been able to be reunited with their relatives have been putting out these very woeful social media messages," said Doug Phillips, the breaking news editor at the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.

His newspaper has taken a strong stand against America's gun problem.

At least 17 people were killed in the school shooting yesterday, after a 19-year-old man allegedly attacked staff and students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.

It was the 18th school shooting in the U.S. this year.

Phillips quoted his newspaper's editorial from this morning:

"Yes thoughts and prayers are a welcome response to anyone in mourning and in need. But with this type of tragedy repeated so many times across our country, we already know that thoughts and prayers alone are a grossly inadequate response to our country's self-inflicted cancer of gun violence."

He told Laura Lynch, guest host of The Current, that words have not translated into action in the past.

"Usually what has happened up to now in all of these situations," he said, "when all is said and done, usually more is said than done."

"Collectively everybody is throwing their arms up in the air and saying what now?"

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