error in Orlando: Approximately 50+ dead, 50+ More Wounded at Gay Nightclub
Associated Press
- Shots rang out early Sunday morning at a gay bar in Orlando, Florida
- Early reports suggest that this approximately50 people are dead and 50+ more are injured
- It is the highest body count from a terror attack on American soil since 9/11/01
- The FBI has suggested that the attacker could have ‘leanings to radical Islamic terrorism’
- Suspect ID’d: Omar Saddiqui Mateen, a U.S. citizen born to Afghan parents
- This is the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States
- STATE OF EMERGENCY
Update 11:33 am ET:
Update 11:18 am ET: Hot takes begin.
Update 11:12 am ET:
More from Badolato: Many of those brought into area hospitals, local reports say, were in grave critical condition. Hospitals are preparing for intensive trauma surgeries. In addition, local eyewitnesses reported seeing police officers doing chest compressions on victims in the back of pickup trucks.
Update 11:09 am ET:
ORLANDO, Fla — Breitbart News’ Andy Badolato, reporting from the scene, says the local police have swept the night club for bombs. They have not, however, removed any of the at least 50 dead bodies yet. At least 53 people were also taken to local hospitals putting, the victim count at at least 103 total. The status of those taken to area hospitals is unclear.
Update 10:54 am ET:
Update 10:32 am ET:
Update 10:29 am ET:
VIDEO: "He has us and he's going to kill us" - mom gets text from son hiding from shooter in Orlando club: apne.ws/1YjmHO3
Update 10:10 am ET – Find the glaring omission on Huffington Post’s front page:
Elsewhere on the HuffPo front page: “Army Reserve Major Charged With Threatening Muslims With Gun, Bacon”
Update 10:06 am ET: From USA TODAY:
Orlando recently wrapped up its annual weeklong Gay Days festival on June 6 in which up to 150,000 in the LGBT community attend area theme parks, gay nightclubs and special events. It was the 25th anniversary of Gay Days. It is one of the largest gay pride events in the world.
Update 9:54 am ET — Sessions:’More of these attacks are coming’
The GOP Senator said on Fox News:
And it’s not stopping as we see apparently today. More of these attacks are coming. It’s a real part of the threat that we face and if we can’t address it openly and directly, and say directly that there is an extremist element within Islam, that’s dangerous to the world and has to be confronted.
Meanwhile, #GunControlNow is trending on twitter.
Update 9:50 am ET: Blood donors needed.
Update 9:30 am ET:
MORE: Orlando shooter ID'd as Omar Mateen, U.S. citizen from Port St. Lucie, FL cbsn.ws/1PU8x4x
CBS reports he is a U.S. citizen born to Afghan parents. CBS also notes that there may have been multiple explosive devices that did not detonate.
Update 9:20 am ET:
JUST IN: Pres. Obama has been briefed on #Pulse nightclub shooting: pic.twitter.com/7Jin5ZrqQC (via @abc)
Update 9:10 am ET: From USA TODAY:
- Witnesses reported seeing a bomb in the gunman’s possession, but the police did not confirm that detail
- Hostage situation lasted approximately three hours
Dramatic video from CBS:
Update 9:05 am ET:
Update 9:03 am ET: CNN reports that local hospitals are on lockdown:
A few miles away, the Orlando Regional Medical Center was placed on lockdown, the hospital said in a statement. Only essential workers are being allowed access into the building.Arnold Palmer Hospital and Winnie Palmer Hospital were also placed on lockdown out of an abundance of caution, officials said.
Update 8:52 am ET:
The FBI says shooter at #PulseNightclub may have been inspired by ISIS. More: abc13.com/1381909/ #abc13
Update 8:36 am ET:
Update 8:30 am ET: Social media round up:
UPDATE: Mother outside reports her son inside the club texted 'he's rounded us up and he's going to kill us' #FloridaShooting#Pulse
Alleged video from outside the club at the time of the incident:
Update 8:22 am ET: The FBI believes the massacre may have perpetrated by someone “leanings to radical Islamic terrorism.”
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A gunman wielding an assault-type rifle and a handgun opened fire inside a crowded Florida nightclub early Sunday, killing at least 50 people in the worst mass shooting in American history before dying in a gunfight with SWAT officers, police said.
Authorities were investigating it as an act of terrorism.
At least 53 other people were hospitalized, most in critical condition, officials said.
“I think we will see the death toll rise,” said Dr. Mike Cheatham a trauma surgeon at Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Mayor Buddy Dyer said all of the dead were killed with the assault rifle.
“There’s blood everywhere,” Dyer said.
The suspect exchanged gunfire with an officer working at the gay club known as Pulse around 2 a.m., when more than 300 people were inside. The gunman then went back inside and took hostages, Police Chief John Mina said.
Around 5 a.m., authorities sent in a SWAT team to rescue the hostages. Police have not determined an exact number of casualties, but Mina said “approximately 20” bodies were inside the club.
In addition to the guns, the shooter also had some sort of “suspicious device,” Mina said.
Authorities were looking into whether the attack was an act of domestic or international terror, and if the shooter acted alone, according to Danny Banks, an agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
“This is an incident, as I see it, that we certainly classify as domestic terror incident,” Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said.
The suspect was identified as Omar Mateen of Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Rep. Alan Grayson named the shooter, citing law enforcement officials. A federal law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation also confirmed the name. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
FBI agent Ron Hopper said there was no further threat to Orlando or the surrounding area.
When asked if the gunman had a connection to radical Islamic terrorism, Hopper said authorities had “suggestions that individual has leanings towards that.”
Police had said previously on Twitter that there was a “controlled explosion” at the scene of the shooting. Mina said that noise was caused by a device intended to distract the shooter.
A woman who was outside the dance club early Sunday was trying to contact her 30-year-old son, Eddie, who texted her when the shooting happened and asked her to call police. He told her he ran into a bathroom with other club patrons to hide. He then texted her: “He’s coming.”
“The next text said: ‘He has us, and he’s in here with us,'” Mina Justice said. “That was the last conversation.”
Dozens of police vehicles swarmed the area around the club. At least two police pickup trucks were seen taking what appeared to be shooting victims to the Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Pulse posted on its own Facebook page around 2 a.m.: “Everyone get out of pulse and keep running.” Just before 6 a.m., the club posted an update: “As soon as we have any information, we will update everyone. Please keep everyone in your prayers as we work through this tragic event. Thank you for your thoughts and love.”
Local, state and federal agencies were investigating.
President Barack Obama was briefed on the attack and has asked for regular updates on the investigation, the White House said.
The attack follows the fatal shooting late Friday of 22-year-old singer Christina Grimmie, who was killed after her concert in Orlando by a 27-year-old Florida man who later killed himself. Grimmie was a YouTube sensation and former contestant on “The Voice.”
Jon Alamo said he was at the back of one of the club’s rooms when a man holding a weapon came into the front of the room.
“I heard 20, 40, 50 shots,” Alamo said. “The music stopped.”
Club-goer Rob Rick said the shooting started just before closing time.
“Everybody was drinking their last sip,” he said.
He estimated more than 100 people were still inside when he heard shots, got on the ground and crawled toward a DJ booth. A bouncer knocked down a partition between the club area and an area in the back where only workers are allowed. People inside were able to then escape through the back of the club.
Christopher Hansen said he was in the VIP lounge when he heard gunshots. He continued to hear shooting even after he emerged and police urged people to back away from the club. He saw the wounded being tended to across the street.
“I was thinking, ‘Are you kidding me?’ So I just dropped down. I just said, ‘Please, please, please, I want to make it out,'” he said. “And when I did, I saw people shot. I saw blood. You hope and pray you don’t get shot.”
No comments:
Post a Comment