ORLANDO – A gunman wielding an assault-type rifle and a handgun opened fire inside a crowded Florida nightclub early Sunday before dying in a gunfight with Swat officers, police said.
The attack left at least 50 people dead, making it the worst mass shooting in American history.
Authorities were investigating it as an act of terrorism.
At least 53 other people were hospitalised, the Orlando mayor said.
“There’s blood everywhere,” mayor Buddy Dyer said.
The suspect exchanged gunfire with an officer working at the gay club known as Pulse Orlando around 02h00, when more than 300 people were inside. The gunman then went back inside and took hostages, police chief John Mina said.
Around 05h00, 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 whether 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 a domestic terror incident,” Orange county sheriff Jerry Demings said.
The suspect was identified as Omar Mateen of Port St Lucie, Florida.
FBI agent Ron Hopper, when asked if the gunman had a connection to radical Islamic terrorism, said authorities had “suggestions that the 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 noise was caused by a device intended to distract the shooter.
A woman who was outside the dance club early on 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 centre.
Pulse posted on its own Facebook page around 02h00: “Everyone get out of Pulse and keep running.” Just before 06h00, 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.” –
