U.S.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/orlando-nightc...d=djemalertNEWSOrlando Police: Shooting at Gay Nightclub Kills 50, Wounds 53
Alleged shooter identified as Omar S. Mateen, a counterterrorism official says
Police cars surround the nightclub.
Friends and family members embrace outside the Orlando police headquarters during the investigation into a shooting at a nightclub in the city, where several people were killed by a gunman, on Sunday.
ORLANDO, Fla.—Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said Sunday morning there were 50 dead and at least 53 injured in the mass shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub.
A counterterrorism official Sunday morning identified the alleged shooter as Omar S. Mateen, 29, of Port Saint Lucie. The official said he believed the alleged shooter lived with his sister and her husband.
Police shot and killed the suspected killer at about 5 a.m. after an hours-long standoff with police, Chief John W. Mina said at a 7 a.m. news conference. The man was wearing a suspicious device, carrying an assault rifle and a handgun, and took hostages, Mr. Mina said.
The shootings took place at Pulse, a gay nightclub in downtown Orlando.
“All the killing that was done was with an assault rifle, a single weapon...it was done very quickly also,” said Rep. Alan Grayson, D, said Sunday morning. “There’s blood everywhere” in the club, he said, noting that he spoke to someone who had seen the club following the shooting. “There’s an enormous amount of evidence to be collected systematically over the course of many hours.”
An early morning post from the club’s Facebook page administrator said, “Everyone get out of Pulse and keep running.” An updated post at about 6 a.m. said, “Please keep everyone in your prayers as we work through this tragic event.”
Multiple emergency vehicles responded, including the Orlando Fire Department’s bomb squad and hazardous material team. Police said via Twitter that a noise heard near the shooting site was a “controlled explosion.” No other details were provided.
President Barack Obama was briefed about the Orlando shootings on Sunday morning by Lisa Monaco, assistant to the president for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, the White House said in a statement. The White House said Mr. Obama asked to receive regular updates as federal officials work with the Orlando police on the case.
The incident follows the fatal shooting late Friday of 22-year-old singer Christina Grimmie, who was killed after her concert in Orlando by a 27-year-old Florida man who later killed himself. Ms. Grimmie was a YouTube sensation and former contestant on “The Voice.”
It also follows a December shooting in San Bernardino, Calif., during which Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, opened fire on a holiday party of his co-workers, killing 14 people and injuring 22. The couple was killed during a shootout with police.
Federal authorities have said Syed Rizwan Farook spent years becoming more radicalized and violence-oriented, in part by watching videos that advocated jihad.
On the day of the attack, a Facebook account used by his wife posted a pledge of allegiance to the terror group Islamic State.
This post has been edited by anthropod on 12 Jun 2016, 19:00