Orlando nightclub shooting
The 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting was a major incident inside Pulse, a gay bar and nightclub in Orlando, Florida. It happened on June 12, 2016.
Orlando nightclub shooting | |
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The scene of the shooting | |
Location | Pulse Nightclub 1912 S. Orange Avenue Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
Coordinates | 28°31′10.5″N 81°22′36.5″W / 28.519583°N 81.376806°WCoordinates: 28°31′10.5″N 81°22′36.5″W / 28.519583°N 81.376806°W |
Date | June 12, 2016 2:02 a.m. – 5:14 a.m. EDT (UTC−04:00) |
Attack type | Mass shooting, mass murder, hostage-taking, domestic terrorism, |
Weapon(s) | |
Deaths | 50 (including the perpetrator) |
Injured | 58 (53 by gunfire)[1] |
Perpetrator | Omar Mateen |
More than fifty people, including the shooter,[2] were killed in the massacre. It was the deadliest homophobic attack on LGBT people in United States history.[3] It was the deadliest attack in the U.S. since the September 11, 2001 attacks.[4][5] Until the 2017 Las Vegas shooting that killed 60 people, the Pulse shooting was the deadliest mass shooting in American history.
The gunman was Omar Mir Seddique Mateen.[2]
Incident
According to law enforcement officials, at an unknown time before the shooting, Mateen called the police and pledged himself to the leader of ISIS.[6][2]
At about 2:00 a.m. EDT, Mateen fired shots inside the nightclub. He was armed with a rifle, a handgun, and a "device".[5] Mateen then left the club briefly and exchanged gunfire with a police officer outside,[7] before returning inside to take hostages. Pulse posted on its Facebook page at 2:09 EDT, saying "Everyone get out of pulse and keep running".[8]
Reactions
United States
Florida governor Rick Scott described the incident as "clearly an act of terror", and declared a state of emergency.[7]
In a broadcast statement made at around 2:00 p.m. from the White House, President Barack Obama described the shooting as an "act of terror" and an "act of hate".[9] He mentioned that he has directed the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate the shooting as an act of terrorism, and that the full resources of the federal government would be made available.
References
- ↑ "Rescue, Response, and Resilience: A Critical Incident Review of the Orlando Public Safety Response to the Attack on the Pulse Nightclub". December 17, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2020 – via www.policefoundation.org.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Perez, Evan; Prokupecz, Shimon; Brown, Pamela; Ryan, MaryLynn (June 12, 2016). "Orlando nightclub shooting: Omar Mateen was gunman, officials say". CNN. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ↑ Mark Joseph Stern, The Long, Tragic History of Violence at LGBTQ Bars and Clubs in America, Slate (June 12, 2016).
- ↑ Kelly, Erin. "Trump, Clinton, congressional leaders react to Orlando shooting". ABC 13 News Now. http://www.13newsnow.com/news/nation-now/trump-clinton-congressional-leaders-react-to-orlando-shooting/240685507. Retrieved 12 June 2016. "House Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said "this appears to be the worst terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11."".
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ashley Fantz; Faith Karimi; Eliott C. McLaughlin (12 June 2016). Orlando nightclub shooting: 50 killed in terror attack. CNN. http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/12/us/orlando-nightclub-shooting/. "A gay nightclub here was the scene early Sunday of the worst terror attack in U.S. history since 9/11.".
- ↑ Grimson, Matthew; Wyllie, David; Fieldstadt, Elisha (June 12, 2016). "Orlando Nightclub Shooting: Mass Casualties After Gunman Opens Fire in Gay Club". NBC News. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cite error: Invalid
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. - ↑ "Pulse Orlando". www.facebook.com.
- ↑
Orlando Nightclub Shooting Media
Orange County Sheriff's Office body-camera footage, showing police responding to the massacre.
Pulse nightclub exterior, with holes made by the BearCat and bullet holes
Driver's license photo of Mateen
Vigil in Washington, D.C., June 13, 2016
A memorial to victims of the shooting in front the Stonewall Inn, just after it was designated a National Monument
President Barack Obama receives an update in the Oval Office from FBI Director James Comey and Homeland Security Advisor Lisa Monaco on the mass shooting.
San Francisco City Hall lit in LGBT rainbow colors in honor to the victims of the shooting
The Associated Press (June 12, 2016). "Obama Says Orlando Shooting Was An 'Act of Terror'". Bloomberg. Retrieved June 12, 2016.