In what is now the deadliest mass shooting in United States history, a gunman reportedly supported by ISIS stormed an Orlando nightclub early Sunday morning, killing 50 people and injuring 53.
The man, identified by officials as Omar Mateen, 29, of Port St. Lucie, used a handgun and an AR-15 that he had purchased within the past few days, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Investigators found a third gun in Mateen's rental car.
The National Rifle Association has made no comment on the shooting on its website or its Twitter account.
Mateen called 911 during the attack to pledge allegiance to the ISIS terror group and mentioned the Boston Marathon bombers, a U.S. official told CNN .
» RELATED: The latest on the mass shooting at Orlando nightclub Pulse
Investigators are still working to clear the scene at the Pulse nightclub, where Mateen began shooting about 2 a.m.
Here’s the latest on what we know.
THE SHOOTER: Mateen had a house in Port St. Lucie, which investigators were searching Sunday.
He also had ties to an apartment on South 17th Street in Fort Pierce. Law enforcement agencies evacuated that apartment complex Sunday as they removed evidence from Mateen’s unit and cleared that scene.
» RELATED: More about suspected gunman’s employer, G4S in Jupiter
The FBI said Mateen had been under investigation twice before. The first time, officials were notified of possible terrorist ties, but an investigation did not confirm those claims.
Another later investigation in 2015 was into possible ties to Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, an American suicide bomber who had lived in Vero Beach and had ties to Fort Pierce.
The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee tells The Associated Press that investigators have not yet found evidence of direct communication between the Orlando nightclub gunman and Islamic State members overseas.
Rep. Adam Schiff of California has been briefed multiple times by federal law enforcement. He says it is possible that Omar Mateen was self-radicalized but not “under the command and control of ISIS.”
» RELATED: What we know about the Orlando nightclub shooter
According to NBC News, Mateen called 911 just before the shooting and swore his allegiance to the head of ISIS.
ISLAMIC STATE: The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the shooting via its news agency, Amaq.
THE VICTIMS: Orlando officials are releasing victims' names as identities are confirmed and next of kin are notified. Mayor Buddy Dyer said 39 were killed at the club and 11 people died at hospitals.
As of 9:30 p.m., eight names have been released: Edward Sotomayor Jr., Stanley Almodovar III, Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, Juan Ramon Guerrero, Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, Luis Vielma and Kimberly Morris.
Sotomayor was from the Tampa Bay area. Almodovar was a longtime Clermont resident who was originally from Springfield, Mass., according to his Facebook page. Ortiz-Riviera was originally from Puerto Rico and was living in Orlando. Ocasio-Capo and Vielma also were Orlando residents. Guerrero lived in Kissimmee.
No place of residence was immediately available for Morris or Gonzalez-Cruz.
The website to check for updates is www.cityoforlando.net/blog/victims/.
The city also set up a hotline for people who believe their loved ones may have been victims of the shooting: 407-246-4357.
THE NIGHTCLUB: The Pulse nightclub Facebook page posted an eerie warning at 2:09 a.m. as the shooting began: "Everyone get out of pulse and keep running," it says.
The nightclub, which is set to mark 12 years of being open with a party in July, is named for the brother of the club's founder, who died in 1991 of AIDS.
Iijima Brown, who went to the club Sunday looking for signs of a friend, said many gay bars in Orlando have security areas where patrons pass through before entering. “They get wanded or patted down for weapons,’’ she said. “Pulse doesn’t do that.’’
» RELATED: Read more about the history of Pulse nightclub
BOSTON LINK? Massachusetts authorities say a man who opened fire at a gay club in Orlando, killing at least 50 people, mentioned the Boston Marathon bombers in a 911 call he made during the massacre.
Massachusetts State Police said in a statement Sunday afternoon the agency learned of the gunman’s comments during a conference call with federal law enforcement officials.
Police say the shooter, 29-year-old Omar Mateen, referenced the Tsarnaev brothers in the call. Tamerlan Tsarnaev (TAM’-ehr-luhn tsahr-NEYE’-ehv) and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (joh-HAHR’ tsahr-NEYE’-ehv) perpetrated the April 2013 attack in Boston that killed three and injured more than 260.
State police say Mateen’s name does not appear in any local databases of “potential terrorist suspects.”
They say law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts are working with federal authorities to learn more about Mateen’s comments.
WHAT OFFICIALS ARE SAYING:
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is calling for a moment of silence at 6 p.m. Sunday in honor of those killed and injured in the Orlando nightclub shooting.
With the number of people killed and injured, Scott said the mass shooting is “clearly an act of terror.”
Orlando State Attorney Jeff Ashton called the attack a "terrible, terrible, evil act."
President Barack Obama said that although it is still early in the investigation, "we know enough to know this is an act of terror and an act of hate."
In a news conference, Obama said the FBI is leading the investigation into the attack.
“Today marks the most deadly shooting in American history,” Obama said.
Read Obama’s proclamation honoring the victims of the shooting
In an afternoon news conference, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said, "This is probably the most difficult day in the history of Orlando."
The nightclub remains an active crime scene, Dyer said.
“Our community will be grieving today, the next few days, the next few weeks and the next few months,” Dyer said.
» RELATED: Post Exclusive - Shooting survivor: ‘Everybody’s like, run. Get out of here’
Orlando Police Chief John Mica said 11 officers engaged in gunfire with the shooter, and they have been relieved of duty pending an investigation, per department policy.
"We are certainly having our share of violence," said Florida's senior Sen. Bill Nelson. "In two successive nights, we've had killings" in Orlando, he added, referring to singer Christina Grimmie, who was killed while signing autographs Friday night.
“We are going to have to dig down deep and ask ourselves who we are as a people,” Nelson said.
Arriving at the shooting scene this afternoon, Sen. Marco Rubio spoke briefly to the media, saying, "The world is seeing this community respond."
“I hope they see today they won’t terrorize … Floridians,” Rubio said. ” … Islamic terrorists need to know they will not win.”
In a news release, the Florida Sheriffs Association told residents to "use caution as you go about daily activities."
“Today is a somber reminder that citizens must be vigilant as it is so vitally important that we look out for one another,” the group said in the news release. “You are encouraged to report any suspicious activities and support public safety in the extreme challenges we face.”
The Islamic Center of Palm Beach condemned the shooting, calling it "a deplorable and heinous terrorist act."
LGBT ACTIVISTS SPEAK:
Rachel B. Tiven, CEO of the LGBT-rights group Lambda Legal, said the continued vilification of LGBT people by their detractors, and the continued resistance to expansion of their civil rights, was “an invitation to violence.”
“When people are targeted by others who are scared of difference, they’re not safe when they go dancing, they’re not safe when they go out to pray. If we live in culture where fear of difference is encouraged, that can, in the hands of crazy people, have dreadful consequences,” Tiven said.
TONY AWARDS: The show, the Oscars of the theater world, dedicated its awards show in New York on Sunday night to the victims. The cast of "Hamilton," the musical about Founding Father Alexander Hamilton that is expected to win several honors, will not use muskets in its performance.
SPORTS WORLD REACTS:
—Baseball teams across the country held moments of silence for the victims of the Orlando attack.
— A moment of silence was held prior to Sunday’s Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the San Jose Sharks.
— “We begin with our thoughts and prayers for the Orlando community and all of those affected by the tragic events this early morning,” Father Geoff Rose of St Francis de Sales High School said Sunday at NASCAR’s race in Michigan.
HOW TO HELP: OneBlood, one of the largest blood banks in Florida, said in a news release that it is at capacity and asked that instead of heading to a blood bank today, people donate over the next few days "to replenish the blood supply."
OneBlood said it needs donations of O Negative, O Positive and AB Plasma.
» PHOTOS: 50 dead, dozens injured in Orlando nightclub shooting
Supporters are taking to Pulse nightclub’s Facebook page to share their thoughts. Thousands of people from across the country have commented across three posts.
» RELATED: Alleged shooter’s father says son was angry over ‘men kissing’
“Regardless of our religious belief, we are NOT God. All I know as a mother is another mother is heartbroken because she will never be able to hold her child again, another mother is at a hospital not knowing if her child will come out of surgery, another mother doesn’t know where her child is….I don’t care what the situation, we all need to be praying for the families and PEACE,” wrote Stellvonne Jackson.
“I cannot imagine how frightening this ordeal has been. Please know that we are praying for you here in San Diego, CA lifting everyone up in prayer with God’s healing,” wrote Venus Romero.
» View a map of where the Pulse nightclub is in Orlando
STATE OF EMERGENCY: Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency in Orange County to help Orlando handle the scale of the attack.Among the steps he took Sunday after declaring a state of emergency in Orlando:
— The Florida Department of Health has sent in a 20-person Victim Identification Unit to help the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office.
— The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is helping the FBI and local police agencies in investigating the shooting.
This story will be updated.
About the Author
