4:38
- ABC News
- June 13, 2016
50 Dead in Orlando Massacre, Suspect Pledged ISIS Allegiance
The shooting occurred at Pulse nightclub.
4:38
Orlando Police tweeted around 4:30 a.m., \"This is a fluid scene and we are working on getting you an update.\"
The next significant update was at 5:48 a.m., five minutes before announcing the shooter's death, when police tweeted, \"We can confirm this is a mass casualty situation. Support from local/state/federal agencies.\"
The FBI was among the agencies at the crime scene, as was the Orlando Fire Department's bomb squad and hazardous material team.
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
There was a controlled explosion near the shooting scene, but police said it was caused by a device intended to distract the shooter. Police also said the shooting was not connected to Friday's fatal shooting, also in Orlando, of \"The Voice\" singer Christina Grimmie.
Rep. Alan Grayson, of Florida's 9th District, said during a news conference this morning that the attack was ideologically motivated.
\"It's no coincidence the attack took place where it did and when it did,\" he said in reference to the fact that Pulse was a gay nightclub.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott spoke at a news conference this afternoon and asserted that “this is clearly an act of terror” and added that he has declared a state of emergency in Orange County, Florida. The state of emergency ensures the resources that are needed by the city from the state would be made available immediately, the governor said.
Later in the day, President Obama called the Pulse massacre \"an act of terror and an act of hate.\" He called Mateen \"a person filled with hatred.\"
He also stressed the resilience of the people in his state. \"We're going to do everything we can to help bring the community together,\" he said.
George Stephanopoulos of ABC News interviewed Christine Leinonen, the mother of Christopher Leinonen, a young man who went missing inside of the club at the time of the attack.
\"Please, let's all try to get rid of the hatred and the violence,\" she said, sobbing. Leinonen later confirmed to ABC News that her son was among the dead.
ABC News’ Dominick Proto contributed to this report.
Get real-time updates as this story unfolds. To start, just \"star\" this story in ABC News' phone app. Download ABC News for iPhone here or ABC News for Android here.
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