Orlando Police reported of a ‘mass casualty situation’ after a gunman opened fire at Pulse, a LGBT nightclub early Sunday morning.
The first shots were reportedly fired around 2 AM ET as police responded shortly thereafter. A shootout occurred around 5 AM ET after the gunman barricaded himself within the nightclub before police conducted a controlled explosion outside the club and shooting the suspect dead.
We can confirm this is a mass casualty situation. Support from local/state/federal agencies. We expect to brief media shortly.
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) June 12, 2016
Snapchat video: Multiple gunshots heard at #Pulse nightclub in #Orlando. Details coming: https://t.co/o7XrMw10mx pic.twitter.com/JltzSCShLS
— WESH 2 News (@WESH) June 12, 2016
Early eyewitness reports suggested that as many as 20 people were injured while police confirmed that one officer was injured. Police later mentioned that ‘multiple’ deaths (around 20) occurred with approximately 42 injured and taken to three local hospitals.
Authorities have also said that the shooter may have had ties to radical Islam but that could not be confirmed at this time.