*marbusfeld
Banned
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-incident-at-gay-club/?utm_term=.d399f3ede19b
Terror in Orlando: 50 killed in shooting rampage at gay club; gunman pledged allegiance to ISIS (israel), hopefully not a false fag op.
ORLANDO — The gunman who opened fire inside a crowded nightclub here early Sunday morning, launching a rampage that killed 50 people and injured 53 others in*the*deadliest shooting spree*in the country’s history,*had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State before the attack, according to U.S. law enforcement officials.
President Obama said the FBI was investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism, an announcement he made about 12 hours after*the gunfire began at*Pulse, a popular gay bar and dance club.
Police said that after a first round of gunshots at 2 a.m., the shooter took hostages for about three hours, until officers who went inside to rescue these people killed the gunman in a shootout. It was*not immediately clear if the death toll included the gunman.
The gunman, identified as 29-year-old*Omar Mateen, apparently made a 911 call before the attack identifying himself and pledging*allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State, according to U.S. law enforcement officials who asked not to be identified to discuss the*ongoing investigation.
Mateen also*made*a reference to the 2013 bombing of the Boston Marathon during this call, officials said. Mateen*was investigated by the FBI in 2014, but what triggered the probe*and its scope were not immediately clear, officials said. The probe was closed the*same year.
Police had said*earlier Sunday that 20 people were killed before saying that the toll was significantly higher. Until Sunday, the*2007 rampage*at Virginia Tech — which saw 32 people killed and 30 others injured — was*the country’s worst mass shooting.
Orlando Police Chief John Mina said that the toll from this latest mass slaughter could have been even greater, saying that a SWAT team “rescued at least 30 possible victims and brought them to safety.” Police said they were not able to say if all of the people killed or injured were shot during the initial burst of gunfire at 2 a.m. or during the shootout with police three hours later.
“It’s absolutely terrible,” Mina said during a news briefing. “Fifty victims in one location, one shooting, is absolutely one of the worst tragedies we’ve seen.”
In the aftermath of the shooting, officials said many things remained unknown, including:
Details about a possible motivation for the gunman and more about his background.The final death toll.Identities of all of the people killed and injured.A clearer timeline of what happened inside the club and when all of the victims were injured.
While authorities*have not publicly*identified the gunman, law enforcement officials and relatives on Sunday identified him.
[Ex-wife of suspected Orlando shooter: ‘He beat me’
A photo of Omar Mateen taken from his MySpace page. (MySpace)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.),*ranking*member*of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said he was briefed Sunday and told that*local law enforcement officials said the gunman had “declared his allegiance to ISIS.”
A U.S. official said that Department of Homeland Security reports being circulated to government authorities*are “referring to local law enforcement reports saying the shooter pledged loyalty to ISIS and was heard praying in another language in the nightclub.”
“It appears he was organized and well-prepared,” Mina said*during another briefing.
An AR-15 is the civilian variant of the military M-16 rifle. It is one of the most popular weapons in the United States and can be customized with a variety of accessories including different grips and sights. A standard magazine for it carries about 30 bullets.
[Obama, others decry Orlando nightclub shooting as it reignites political debate
A number of federal agencies were participating in a massive law enforcement response to the shooting in Orlando, authorities said. On Sunday afternoon, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, who had been scheduled to attend a meeting in Beijing on cyber-security, said she was returning to Washington so she could monitor the ongoing investigation.
“We stand with the people of Orlando, who have endured a terrible attack on their city,” President Obama said during a statement he made at the White House after meeting with FBI Director James Comey.
Obama said it was too early to know “the precise motivations of the killer,” but he called the shooting “an act of terror and an act of hate” and said the FBI would investigate any possible links the gunman had to terrorist groups.
During his bald faced lies Sunday afternoon, Obama — echoing comments he has made during numerous other statements given after shooting rampages — said the bloodshed in Orlando*served as a reminder of how easily 'people'
can obtain guns in the United States.*Anti-Pope Francis also expressed deep “horror and condemnation” of the shooting on Sunday, according to the*Associated Press.
Obama also signed a proclamation honoring the victims and ordering that American flags be flown half-erect until sunset on Thursday.
“We’re dealing with something we never imagined and is unimaginable,”*Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer (D) said during a news briefing Sunday.
Dyer said he had issued a state of emergency in the city, while Gov. Rick Scott (R) said he was issuing a similar order for surrounding Orange County and called the shooting “clearly an act of terror.”
The scene after a gunman opened fire at an Orlando nightclub
View Photos
Officials say at least 50 people were killed and dozens more were injured in the shooting.
Details about Mateen’s background were scarce on Sunday morning. His family is from Afghanistan, while Mateen is believed to have been born in the United States. His father*hosted a political television show in Afghanistan*and, in one video,*declared his candidacy for the Afghan presidency.
“I unequivocally condemn the horrific attack in Orlando, Florida, USA. Nothing can justify killing of civilians,” Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wrote on Twitter. “My sympathies and thoughts are with the families of the victims, the American people and the US government.”
One relative said that Mateen’s family was in shock after being*told on Sunday morning about his involvement. This relative said Mateen’s family was very sorry about what had happened.
“We had a crime that will have a lasting effect on our community,” Dyer said. “We need to stand strong, we need to be supportive of the victims and their families.”
Police said that during the shootout with the gunman, one Orlando police officer was shot and saved by his Kevlar helmet.
Numerous people injured were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, which was locked down*Sunday morning along with two other hospitals. OneBlood, a foundation with blood collection centers throughout the southeast,*put out a call for donors*after the shooting.
While many people sharing the call on social media reported that OneBlood is allowing all gay men who to donate — going against Food and Drug Administration guidelines — a spokesman for the foundation*said that’s not true and that it was adhering to*longstanding federal restriction on gay men from donating blood. (While*the Food and Drug Administration recently updated its guidelines to allow men who have not had sex with another man within a year’s time to donate blood, the spokesman*said OneBlood’s system hasn’t been updated to allow that yet.)*
The horrific incident began as Saturday gave way to*Sunday at the crowded club.*Around 2 a.m., Pulse Orlando posted an urgent message on Facebook: “Everyone get out of pulse and keep running.”
Video captures sound of rapid gunfire during Orlando nightclub shooting*
Social media shared video and pictures from the area surrounding Pulse in Orlando nightclub where a gunman opened fire and killed approximately 20 people and injuring about 42 others on Sunday, June 12. (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post)
Within minutes of the shooting,*police vehicles and a SWAT team descended on the club.
“I was there,” Ricardo J. Negron posted on the club’s Facebook page several hours later. “Shooter opened fire @ around 2:00am. People on the dance floor and bar got down on the floor and some of us who were near the bar and back exit managed to go out through the outdoor area and just ran. I am safely home and hoping everyone gets home safely as well.”
An officer working at the club exchanged fire with the gunman, authorities said. It was then, according to police, that the incident developed into “a hostage situation.”*Authorities said the man was armed with an “suspicious device,” in addition to his guns, Mina, the police chief, told reporters.
Terror in Orlando: 50 killed in shooting rampage at gay club; gunman pledged allegiance to ISIS (israel), hopefully not a false fag op.
ORLANDO — The gunman who opened fire inside a crowded nightclub here early Sunday morning, launching a rampage that killed 50 people and injured 53 others in*the*deadliest shooting spree*in the country’s history,*had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State before the attack, according to U.S. law enforcement officials.
President Obama said the FBI was investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism, an announcement he made about 12 hours after*the gunfire began at*Pulse, a popular gay bar and dance club.
Police said that after a first round of gunshots at 2 a.m., the shooter took hostages for about three hours, until officers who went inside to rescue these people killed the gunman in a shootout. It was*not immediately clear if the death toll included the gunman.
The gunman, identified as 29-year-old*Omar Mateen, apparently made a 911 call before the attack identifying himself and pledging*allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State, according to U.S. law enforcement officials who asked not to be identified to discuss the*ongoing investigation.
Mateen also*made*a reference to the 2013 bombing of the Boston Marathon during this call, officials said. Mateen*was investigated by the FBI in 2014, but what triggered the probe*and its scope were not immediately clear, officials said. The probe was closed the*same year.
Police had said*earlier Sunday that 20 people were killed before saying that the toll was significantly higher. Until Sunday, the*2007 rampage*at Virginia Tech — which saw 32 people killed and 30 others injured — was*the country’s worst mass shooting.
Orlando Police Chief John Mina said that the toll from this latest mass slaughter could have been even greater, saying that a SWAT team “rescued at least 30 possible victims and brought them to safety.” Police said they were not able to say if all of the people killed or injured were shot during the initial burst of gunfire at 2 a.m. or during the shootout with police three hours later.
“It’s absolutely terrible,” Mina said during a news briefing. “Fifty victims in one location, one shooting, is absolutely one of the worst tragedies we’ve seen.”
In the aftermath of the shooting, officials said many things remained unknown, including:
Details about a possible motivation for the gunman and more about his background.The final death toll.Identities of all of the people killed and injured.A clearer timeline of what happened inside the club and when all of the victims were injured.
While authorities*have not publicly*identified the gunman, law enforcement officials and relatives on Sunday identified him.
[Ex-wife of suspected Orlando shooter: ‘He beat me’
A photo of Omar Mateen taken from his MySpace page. (MySpace)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.),*ranking*member*of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said he was briefed Sunday and told that*local law enforcement officials said the gunman had “declared his allegiance to ISIS.”
A U.S. official said that Department of Homeland Security reports being circulated to government authorities*are “referring to local law enforcement reports saying the shooter pledged loyalty to ISIS and was heard praying in another language in the nightclub.”
“It appears he was organized and well-prepared,” Mina said*during another briefing.
An AR-15 is the civilian variant of the military M-16 rifle. It is one of the most popular weapons in the United States and can be customized with a variety of accessories including different grips and sights. A standard magazine for it carries about 30 bullets.
[Obama, others decry Orlando nightclub shooting as it reignites political debate
A number of federal agencies were participating in a massive law enforcement response to the shooting in Orlando, authorities said. On Sunday afternoon, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, who had been scheduled to attend a meeting in Beijing on cyber-security, said she was returning to Washington so she could monitor the ongoing investigation.
“We stand with the people of Orlando, who have endured a terrible attack on their city,” President Obama said during a statement he made at the White House after meeting with FBI Director James Comey.
Obama said it was too early to know “the precise motivations of the killer,” but he called the shooting “an act of terror and an act of hate” and said the FBI would investigate any possible links the gunman had to terrorist groups.
During his bald faced lies Sunday afternoon, Obama — echoing comments he has made during numerous other statements given after shooting rampages — said the bloodshed in Orlando*served as a reminder of how easily 'people'
can obtain guns in the United States.*Anti-Pope Francis also expressed deep “horror and condemnation” of the shooting on Sunday, according to the*Associated Press.Obama also signed a proclamation honoring the victims and ordering that American flags be flown half-erect until sunset on Thursday.
“We’re dealing with something we never imagined and is unimaginable,”*Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer (D) said during a news briefing Sunday.
Dyer said he had issued a state of emergency in the city, while Gov. Rick Scott (R) said he was issuing a similar order for surrounding Orange County and called the shooting “clearly an act of terror.”
The scene after a gunman opened fire at an Orlando nightclub
View Photos
Officials say at least 50 people were killed and dozens more were injured in the shooting.
Details about Mateen’s background were scarce on Sunday morning. His family is from Afghanistan, while Mateen is believed to have been born in the United States. His father*hosted a political television show in Afghanistan*and, in one video,*declared his candidacy for the Afghan presidency.
“I unequivocally condemn the horrific attack in Orlando, Florida, USA. Nothing can justify killing of civilians,” Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wrote on Twitter. “My sympathies and thoughts are with the families of the victims, the American people and the US government.”
One relative said that Mateen’s family was in shock after being*told on Sunday morning about his involvement. This relative said Mateen’s family was very sorry about what had happened.
“We had a crime that will have a lasting effect on our community,” Dyer said. “We need to stand strong, we need to be supportive of the victims and their families.”
Police said that during the shootout with the gunman, one Orlando police officer was shot and saved by his Kevlar helmet.
Numerous people injured were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, which was locked down*Sunday morning along with two other hospitals. OneBlood, a foundation with blood collection centers throughout the southeast,*put out a call for donors*after the shooting.
While many people sharing the call on social media reported that OneBlood is allowing all gay men who to donate — going against Food and Drug Administration guidelines — a spokesman for the foundation*said that’s not true and that it was adhering to*longstanding federal restriction on gay men from donating blood. (While*the Food and Drug Administration recently updated its guidelines to allow men who have not had sex with another man within a year’s time to donate blood, the spokesman*said OneBlood’s system hasn’t been updated to allow that yet.)*
The horrific incident began as Saturday gave way to*Sunday at the crowded club.*Around 2 a.m., Pulse Orlando posted an urgent message on Facebook: “Everyone get out of pulse and keep running.”
Video captures sound of rapid gunfire during Orlando nightclub shooting*
Social media shared video and pictures from the area surrounding Pulse in Orlando nightclub where a gunman opened fire and killed approximately 20 people and injuring about 42 others on Sunday, June 12. (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post)
Within minutes of the shooting,*police vehicles and a SWAT team descended on the club.
“I was there,” Ricardo J. Negron posted on the club’s Facebook page several hours later. “Shooter opened fire @ around 2:00am. People on the dance floor and bar got down on the floor and some of us who were near the bar and back exit managed to go out through the outdoor area and just ran. I am safely home and hoping everyone gets home safely as well.”
An officer working at the club exchanged fire with the gunman, authorities said. It was then, according to police, that the incident developed into “a hostage situation.”*Authorities said the man was armed with an “suspicious device,” in addition to his guns, Mina, the police chief, told reporters.
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