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 Islamic 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.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
As of 9:50 am this morning CBS News and Fox News are reporting that “Islamic Terrorism” is being investigated as the source of the crime. The politically correct, and those with a political agenda must have hoped that a Christian or conservative person committed this terrible crime.
Yes… I agree…I posed this question myself, and my comment is “awaiting moderation”…., my original post follows…
So, tell me Horn news publishers… Is there a reason that you seem to have intentionally left out the fact that local police reports that the shooter had Islamic ties? And that the “night club” attacked was a gay establishment??? Is there a reason that you labeled this attack and act of “domestic terrorism”, and not simply an act of “terrorism”?… Yes, yes yes, under the strictest definition of the term, this COULD be called “domestic terrorism”…but this is only true if evidence, which has not yet been released, proves that the shooter was a legal U.S. citizen….. Your use of the term appears to be a veiled attempt to blame the shooting on one of “those gun loving second amendment nutcases”…. instead of at an Islamic tied terrorist….
If the suspect was a Baptist, Catholic, Jewish or Lutheran, then the politically correct with an agenda would be blaming conservative America and the Christian/religious right for the trouble. Last year after an evil creep in South Carolina allegedly committed a horrible atrocity on innocents, political leaders successfully demanded the removal of anything associated with southern history from 150 years ago. Will these same leaders call for a stop to Muslim immigration? Will their culture be demonized and boycotted also?
Main Street I hope they stop all Muslims from coming into this country and run a surveillance on the ones that are here 24/7 call me a racist if you want too!!!!! This one that did the shooting he had been arrested for a terrorist threat prior to this shooting somebody wasn’t doing their job!!!!!!
Terry: I agree with you. Here in the Boston area we have seen a big influx of these haters being settled in working class areas. Food stamps, EBT, WIC and Sec. 8 housing is what most of these haters receive.
The Horn is a censoring group run by people with an agenda.
I have attempted to question why The H o r n has my previous comment marked as waiting for “moderation”. A post questioning why this publication completely neglected that even from initial reports by local police, the shooter was believed to be an Is lamic supporter, and that the “night club” attacked was a G ay establishment… I am starting to think that this publication has a hidden agenda.
Maybe they were waiting for the facts of the case, Ed. Unlike you the Horn can face heavy fines/lawsuits if they print the wrong information too quickly.
Maybe they were waiting for the facts of the case, Ed. Unlike you the Horn can face heavy fines/lawsuits if they print the wrong information too quickly.
Um, Not buying your theory, Local Orlando media was reporting within an hour of the shooting, that the shooter was believed to have Is lamic ties…as per the comments by investigating officials. How can you be so blind? Literally HUNDREDS of times in the past couple of years media has immediately attacked conservative individuals,groups and organizations after such attacks…and this with absolutely nothing backing their claims other than a specific agenda…. When, in the history of MSM have they EVER “waited for the facts”????
As of 1:43pm, CNN has a headline on it’s wen site saying the suspect was pro middle east hate. Then we have political leaders who want hundreds of thousands of these hater to immigrate here.
While this is responsible for much greif pain and suffering, this is not even close to the pain and suffering brought about by another muslim weilding a pen in the oval office.
go to hell! Leave Obama out of it PLEASE!
You blame Obama for everything bad. Talk about an agenda that is sick!!!!!
Bruce:
Obama just announced his regret for the tragity while not referring to the killer as an Islamic terriorist, but as just another angry Citizen who used a legally purchased gun. He is a sorry lowlife who has destroyed America and is trying to take all our rights with his dictatorship. Oslumicboma also hates our military and has stripped them down until they are a skeleton of what they should be. The military even has to get parts from a junkyard to keep planes flying. The military planes that crashed recently did so for that very reason, and the pilots blood is directly on your damn presidents hands, just as much as Bengahaz is on Hilary’s. They both ought to be put before a firing squad for treason and murder.
Everything you have said is complete Bu**sh**
Where do you get this BS?
Dawg# I agree with you.
Bruce:
I get my information from keeping a close eye on current events and legitimate news organizations and not by falling for a sorry lowlife and thinking he walks on water just because he offers me a free cellphone with a paid subscription if I will vote for him……
Listen here snowflake Oblamer bares the blunt of this terrorist acts. Obozo has ordered any mention of Islamic extremism from FBI training manuals.The coward n chief can’t even say Islamic extremists.Because of the closet Muslim the US will see more of this.Go fuc yourself Brucey!
Ok snowflake whatever you say.
You talk real bad hiding behind your key board!!!!!!!
I hope you’re not talking to me. I can’t imagine you are.
This man was on FBI watch list. We need less monitoring and watching and more aggressive action by US Justice Dept. If they have surfaced as being suspicious characters., then round them up and at least aggressively interrogate them and completely search their property. ACLU probably won’t like this. But if they prove to be innocent. then let them go free. This isn’t the time for stupid games. FDR interned many Japanese people during WWII for a lot less. But we are at war, and have to start getting serious.
He definitely should have not been allowed to purchase guns.
Bruce:
He definitely should have not been allowed to purchase guns.
On this we agree 100%. but thanks to the Liberals, who say that criminals should have the same rights an privileges as any other Citizen, they cannot be refused this right any longer. There was a time when if a person committed a murder, said person would lose the right to bear arms, and the right to vote, but not now because, the criminal rights outweigh the rights of the Citizen. Just look at the rape that happened this week…… SIX MONTHS FOR RAPE! There was a time when that little bastard would have been really punished or maybe put to death……… Oh yes the Hillary’s and Obamas have made life sooooo Much Better…… For the terrorists as well as any other criminal…
And let’s look at background checks. Every time a violent episode involving firearms occurs the super-liberals demand better background checks to purchase weapons. This attacker worked as a security guard. He would have had the most rigorous background checks available. But he was under investigation by the FBI. Why was he allowed to continue his job, and to purchase weapons while under investigation? A very serious security lapse here. Where were you Mr. FBI Man?!!
Amen Hardsock, Thanks!
The liberals WANT people on the “no-fly” list to be banned from buying guns, but the NRA said NO. So don’t blame the FBI or the liberals on his ability to purchase these weapons.
How do the police justify letting the carnage, torture and death continue for 3 hours while they stand only a few feet away. The police are a cruel joke!