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Absolutely we are investigating this from all parties perspective as an act of terrorism,” said Danny Banks of the Florida Dept. The shooting, which took place at Pulse Orlando, a nightclub that describes itself as the “hottest gay bar in Orlando,” left an additional 53 people injured.Īn FBI spokesman called the incident a domestic act of terrorism. Meanwhile, the families of the victims were waiting at an Orlando hotel Sunday night to find out if their loved ones were among those dead. READ MORE: Bucket Hat-Wearing Bank Robber Hits Up Fort Lauderdale Wells Fargo Meanwhile, a SWAT truck and a bomb-disposal unit were on the scene of an address associated with Mateen in Fort Pierce, about 120 miles southeast of Orlando.Īcross the country, police departments stepped up patrols in neighborhoods frequented by the LGBT community.ORLANDO (CBSMiami) – The Medical Examiner’s Office began the grim task of removing the victims from inside an Orlando nightclub following a mass shooting that left at least 50 people dead. He urged Americans to decide whether this is the kind of “country we want to be.”Īuthorities said they had secured a van owned by the suspect outside the club.
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President Barack Obama called the shooting an “act of terror” and an “act of hate” targeting a place of “solidarity and empowerment” for gays and lesbians.
#JUNE 11 2016 GAY BAR SHOOTING LICENSE#
State records show that Mateen had held a firearms license since at least 2011. In a statement sent Sunday to the Palm Beach Post, the company confirmed that he had been an employee since September 2007. In a 2012 newsletter, the firm identified him as working in West Palm Beach.
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Mateen was a security guard with a company called G4S. Thank you for your thoughts and love.”Īuthorities were looking into whether the shooter acted alone, according to Danny Banks, an agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Please keep everyone in your prayers as we work through this tragic event.
#JUNE 11 2016 GAY BAR SHOOTING UPDATE#
Just before 6 a.m., the Pulse posted an update on its Facebook: “As soon as we have any information, we will update everyone. People were then able to escape through the back of the club. A bouncer knocked down a partition between the club area and an area where only workers were allowed. When he heard shots, Rick dropped to the ground and crawled toward a DJ booth. “I just tried to get out of there.”Īt 2:09 a.m., Pulse posted on its Facebook page: “Everyone get out of Pulse and keep running.”Ĭlub-goer Rob Rick said the shooting started just as “everybody was drinking their last sip.” “He had an automatic rifle, so nobody stood a chance,” said Jackie Smith, who saw two friends next to her get shot. The Orlando shooting started about 2 a.m., with more than 300 people inside the Pulse. The training is part of AP’s ongoing efforts to keep our journalists' skills sharp as they hold authorities accountable and insist on access to how governments operate and who’s influencing decisions. With the First Amendment under constant pressure, our reporters receive legal training to help them navigate access, open records, copyright and other challenging issues they regularly encounter. AP journalists commonly use Freedom of Information Act requests to develop exclusive content for our members and customers.