There was a mass shooting at Pulse Orlando, a gay nightclub in downtown Orlando, Florida. The shooting occurred around 2:00am on Sunday morning and appears to be targeted.
The shooter is reportedly dead inside the nightclub. CNN reports that the shooter had an assault rifle and handgun. At least 42 people have been transported to local hospitals for treatment.
Orlando Police Chief John Mina told reporters he appeared "well organized and well-prepared" stating that he had an assault-type weapon, a handgun and "some type of (other) device on him." After the mass shooting inside, the gunman tried to flee the scene, at which time an officer engaged in an active shootout. At that time, CNN reports, the gunman ran back inside the club, leading to a hostage situation.
Police swarmed the scene and broke the door down using an armored vehicle. The police were then able to locate and neutralize the gunman.
Hours prior to the shooting, the club had promoted its "Latin Flavor" night. It is unknown whether the shooting was related to that or if it was specifically targeted against the LGBT community.
Attendees report total chaos at the scene. CNN spoke with a few of the attendees:
Ricardo Negron Almodovar said he barely escaped in a post on Facebook:
"People on the dance floor and bar got down on the floor and some of us who were near the bar and back exit managed to go out through the outdoor area and just ran. I am safely home and hoping everyone gets home safely as well."
Anthony Torres was also at the club and said he heard the shots ring out as he drove away:
"The shots did not sound like a regular handgun, it sounded like it was shooting repetitively and it wouldn't stop. So we knew what it was and we left there pretty quick. It was over 70 cop cars that were arriving there ... It happened so quick that people got separated from each other."
Jose Torres, an employee from the Dunkin' Donuts across the street reports hearing the following:
"It was something that I never heard before. I had to run inside the store, and I saw just a lot of people screaming, crying. Just screaming and coming out running like crazy."
While the rest of the country waits for more information, Donald Trump has already determined that he knows exactly what happened.
Really bad shooting in Orlando. Police investigating possible terrorism. Many people dead and wounded.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2016
Nothing like a mass shooting to try to help your racist narrative, eh Donnie? Like a cockroach, he comes out at the exact right times. Despicable.
For comparison, here is Hillary Clinton's tweet:
Woke up to hear the devastating news from FL. As we wait for more information, my thoughts are with those affected by this horrific act. -H
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 12, 2016
This story will be updated as more details come in.
UPDATE:
ABC News is reporting at least 50 dead now.
