Americas News

Orlando shooting: 49 killed, 53 injured at Pulse nightclub

50 people are dead, with another 53 injured after a gunman opened fire at a crowd in Orlando's Pulse nightclub early Sunday morning, in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

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.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation, and haven’t ruled out terrorism as a motive, according to agent Ron Hopper.

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.

According to Mina, this incident is unrelated to a separate shooting Friday at Orlando’s The Plaza Life theater that killed singer Christina Grimmie.

[Story developing]

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