49 people are dead, with another 53 injured after a gunman opened fire at a crowd in Orlando’s Pulse nightclub early Sunday morning. It’s the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
A gunman held several people hostage inside the nightclub from 2:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time. Roughly 320 people were inside the club when the hostage situation unfolded.
At 5 a.m., authorities used a controlled explosion to distract the gunman, and plowed through the club with a vehicle, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Roughly an hour later, police reported that the shooter was dead. According to John Mina, Orlando’s Chief of Police, 11 officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect in two shootings. One officer sustained a head injury, but was saved by his helmet.
Approximately 53 people were taken to local hospitals, according to police. As of Tuesday morning, 27 people remained hospitalized, according to Orlando Health. Six of those people are “critically ill” and another five are in “guarded” condition, according to the AP.
BREAKING: Doctor says 6 people wounded in the Orlando nightclub shooting are 'critically ill' and 5 are in 'guarded' condition.
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 14, 2016
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation, and haven’t ruled out terrorism as a motive, according to agent Ron Hopper.
Live aerial video from @weshchopper2 over #Pulse shooting scene: https://t.co/bp5SybkYjn #Orlando pic.twitter.com/4yE1Vpcsah
— WESH 2 News (@WESH) June 12, 2016
According to the FBI, the shooter has been identified as Omar Mateen of Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has arrived in Orlando and has been in touch with local law enforcement and the FBI on the shooting. The governor has declared a state of emergency as a result of the shooting.
Urgent need for O Negative, O Positive and AB Plasma blood donors. https://t.co/FVgu5HaQnx or call 1.888.9Donate #PrayForOrlando
— WESH 2 News (@WESH) June 12, 2016
According to Mina, this incident is unrelated to a separate shooting Friday at Orlando’s The Plaza Life theater that killed singer Christina Grimmie.
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