In the early morning hours of June 12, 2016 a terrorist attack was made at The Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida just two days after "The Voice" singer Christina Grimmie was shot and killed at The Plaza in Orlando. Over 50 people were shot dead, and dozens more were injured. Witnesses were horrified as 29-year-old Omar Mateen of Port St. Lucie, Florida, entered the bar with an AR-15 rifle and a handgun. Before conducting the shooting, he called 911 to pledge his allegiance to ISIS, the terrorist organization responsible for killing many people worldwide. It has been deemed by President Obama as the worst shooting in American history. At least 50 people were confirmed dead and at least another 53 hospitalized. The gunman was killed after a shootout with S.W.A.T. officers.
Mateen is a U.S. born citizen who worked as a security guard and was able to easily access firearms. He has been on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's radar since 2013 for possible ties with ISIS due to sympathizing a suicide bomber. According to police, his father made a statement saying he was angered by seeing two men kiss a couple of months ago which potentially sparked the shooting. The FBI and Orlando Police are classifying this shooting as a Domestic Terrorism Case. Officials say that religion had nothing to do with the shooting, only Mateen's dislike for the LGBT community.
The Club was known as a perfect target to Mateen because of its reputation as a club for LGBT Americans.
Around 2 a.m., The Pulse made a post on their social media telling everyone to evacuate and to run far from the club due to the shooting.
According to Orlando Police, one officer was working at the club as an armed security guard at the time of the shooting. When he engaged the suspect, Mateen ran to a bathroom and took hostages while some people pretended to have been killed which saved their lives.
One police officer was shot and is recovering from injuries to his face and head. According to the Orlando Police, if he wasn't wearing his Kevlar helmet, he would not have survived.
In addition to the suspect's firearms, a suspicious device was found in his car. SWAT and Bomb Disposal Units secured his car after they exchanged gunfire with Mateen. According to Mateen's ex wife, she believed he was mentally ill and he was an abusive person. He was Bipolar but it was not formally diagnosed by mental health professionals.
Family of the suspect are in shock as well as the rest of the country. President Obama addressed the issue saying that this was not just a terror plot, but it was intended as a hate crime and as he left the briefing room, he did not answer any questions.
Most of the victims were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center and the hospital was shut down to incoming patients who were not victims of the shooting. Police responded to the hotel to act as security while victims arrived by Advanced Live Support Ambulance units.
Later in the day around 5 a.m. Pacific Time, 20-year-old James Wesley Howell was arrested in Santa Monica for being in possession of chemicals used to makeexplosives, 3 assault rifles, high capacity magazines, and ammunition.
Police received a 911 call for a prowler in West Hollywood and found Howell. According to police, Howell told authorities he was out looking for a friend to attend an LGBT Pride Festival in Los Angeles. There is no indication at the moment if the arrest is related to the attack in Orlando.
Speculations are going around that ISIS has claimed responsibility for the shooting. There has been no confirmation on the rumor at this time.
