A Decatur man visiting friends in Orlando said he heard dozens of gunshots and witnessed the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
Nic Hornstein was at an apartment across from Pulse, the gay nightclub where at least 50 people were killed and 53 others were injured, when he heard the gunfire early Sunday, he told Channel 2 Action News.
Hornstein shot video of the sights and sounds. Through his camera, he saw people running for their lives.
“People trying to find their loved ones, not really knowing how they’re doing,” Hornstein said. “It was really traumatic.”
Authorities were searching the south Florida home of 29-year-old shooter Omar Mateen on Monday.
Mateen's ex-wife, Sitora Yusufiy, said his family was from Afghanistan but that her ex-husband was born in New York. His family later moved to Florida.
According to The Associated Press, Yusufiy said Mateen beat her repeatedly while they were married.
“He was mentally unstable, mentally ill,” Yusufiy said.
The AP also reported Mateen, a body builder and a security guard, was a religious man who attended the local mosque and wanted to become a police officer.
All but one of the victims have been identified.
One of them, 35-year-old Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, was a performer who danced in the annual Atlanta Bachata Fest, a days long celebration of Latin dance and music.
He worked at Disney Live in the Mickey's Rockin' Road Show, according to a blog set up in tribute of survivors.
Locally, vigils were held throughout metro Atlanta for the victims.
Ralphie Harvey returned Monday to the site of a vigil held Sunday at 10th and Piedmont. He said it’s important that people remember the victims.
“You just can’t move on to the next thing,” Harvey said.
Kevin Moylan of Atlanta said Sunday is usually a night of celebration, eating, drinking and dancing in Midtown.
“Last night, it was the complete opposite — very somber, very reflective,” he said. “I think healing is what’s going on right now, and I think that’s the most important message we can only take on from here.”
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