50 dead in gay nightclub shooting
Fifty people have been killed, including the assailant, and at least 53 injured in an attack inside a gay nightclub in the US state of Florida, authorities said, in the worst mass shooting in US history.
Officials said on Sunday morning that the lone shooter, who was armed with an assault-type rifle, a handgun and some type of other device, died in a shootout with the police force at the Pulse nightclub.
US news networks and a Congress member have identified the gunman as Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old US-born man with Afghan origins. Investigators have yet to issue official confirmation.
In a televised statement, President Barack Obama condemned the shooting as "an act of terror and act of hate", calling the shooter "a person filled with hatred".
"As Americans, we are united in grief and outrage," he said, adding that the attack is "a further reminder of how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapon" and commit violence in the US.
Florida Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency.
Although the shooter's name has been widely reported, Ron Hopper, of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, said authorities would not yet release the name of the shooter to avoid jeopardising the investigation. He added that it is too early to say if the incident is linked to "terrorism or hate crime".
In an interview with NBC, Mateen's father, Mir Seddique, said the incident "has nothing to do with religion."
Orlando Police chief John Mina described the shooting as "one of the worst tragedies we have seen", adding that police officers "were shaken by what they have seen inside the club".
"It's a tragedy not only for the city but the entire nation," he said. "Just a look into the eyes of our officers told the whole story."
The injured, "many critically ill", had been transferred to nearby hospitals, police and medical officials said. Among those injured was one police officer, whose kevlar helmet was hit by a round from the suspect.
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12 Responses to “50 dead in gay nightclub shooting”
I am no fan of America as a government, but are you sure you want to preach the virtues of general muslim attitudes towards free-thinking individuals? You are in no position to pass judgement on Fluffy's right to call the Orlando nightclub shooting victims innocent. He is also right, in that we in BVI have to prepare for people like this Mateen fellow and their secret supporters like you.
U sound like a royal @$$