Casualty count rises after shooting attack on Pulse nightclub
Police recount raid that killed suspect named by media as Omar Mateen
Suspect may have had leanings toward jihadi ideology, FBI says
Video: Witnesses describe moment shooting started in nightclub
8.14pm BST
Florida’s attorney general Pam Bondi says that her office will prosecute this crime and any like it to the fullest extent of the law. She echoes Scott, who said: “our justice is swift, penalties severe.”
She also calls Americans together: “you’re hearing on a violent and tragic and horrible day the word love.”
8.10pm BST
Florida officials have begun a press conference to provide updates on the statuses of victims and the investigation.
“This is probably the most difficult day in the history of Orlando,” Mayor Buddy Dyer. “It is the most difficult for those families who are still waiting for those families who are still waiting for information on their loved ones.”
8.02pm BST
Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson have given a brief press conference in Orlando ahead of an FBI update on the investigation.
“The world is seeing this community respond in extraordinary ways,” Rubio says. “There are more people than there is the ability to process the blood and that’s terrific,” he adds, alluding to the huge crowds trying to donate to blood banks for the victims.
Senator Marco Rubio #PulseShooting pic.twitter.com/HocZm1r1tQ
7.49pm BST
7.24pm BST
More details are emerging about Omar Mateen, the 29 year old from Fort Pierce, Florida, identified as the murderer of 50 people.
His former employer G4S has released a statement, CBS News’ Omar Villafranca tweets.
Statement from G4S, security company that employed #OrlandoShooting suspect Omar Mateen pic.twitter.com/9BnigdmyZK
7.15pm BST
The president then grows more reflective. “Today marks the most deadly shooting in American history,” he says.
“This massacre is therefore a further reminder of how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapon that allows them to shoot people at a school, or a movie theater, or a church or a nightclub.”
"This was an act of terror and act of hate." —@POTUS on the tragic shooting in #Orlando https://t.co/i7fOS38GzH
7.09pm BST
“As Americans we grieve this brutal murder, horrific massacre of dozens of innocent people,” Barack Obama begins his remarks to the nation on the worst mass shooting in its history.
“We stand with the people of Orlando, who have endured a terrible attack on their city,” he continues. “This is an especially heartbreaking day for all of our friends and fellow Americans who are lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual.”
6.58pm BST
My colleague Richard Luscombe has met another survivor of the attack in Orlando.
Carson Wells was in the club with a group of friends enjoying Latin Night and said it was a completely normal evening until the gunman opened fire.
Tyrell Smith doesn't know how many friends he's lost. "I pray for every one of them. Even the one who did it."
Streaks of rainbow can be seen all around Orlando, especially in the line at the donation center #pulse #LGBTQ pic.twitter.com/8TlRVI1g5H
6.54pm BST
My colleague Richard Luscombe is in Orlando and has met with survivors of the Pulse shooting, including one whose husband remains unaccounted for.
Maria Arocha’s cousin Martin Torres, 33, went to Pulse with his husband Michael Morales but has not been heard from since.
orlando firefighters say they were woken up by injured people banging on the door. one firefighter's daughter was in the club at the time.
6.43pm BST
Pope Francis has condemned “the terrible massacre that has taken place in Orlando, with its dreadfully high number of innocent victims”.
He released a statement through a spokesperson, who said the attack “has caused in Pope Francis, and in all of us, the deepest feelings of horror and condemnation, of pain and turmoil before this new manifestation of homicidal folly and senseless hatred.
Pope Francis joins the families of the victims and all of the injured in prayer and in compassion. Sharing in their indescribable suffering he entrusts them to the Lord so they may find comfort. We all hope that ways may be found, as soon as possible, to effectively identify and contrast the causes of such terrible and absurd violence which so deeply upsets the desire for peace of the American people and of the whole of humanity.
6.38pm BST
Blood banks in the Orlando area are straining under the effort to take in donors, the Orlando Sentinel reports, as hundreds come out to give for the victims.
The blood banks are urging people who want to give to come donate in the coming days, but not to try to donate at banks that are overwhelmed.
Humanity responds to evil. From a family friend in Central Florida https://t.co/lSuDbRMJ3r pic.twitter.com/CAzBuJYqv9
6.27pm BST
NBC’s Pete Williams is reporting that Omar Mateen called 911 before the attack and when the operator answered, “swore his allegiance to [Abu Bakr al-]Baghdadi”, the leader of terror group Isis.
Williams cites unnamed law enforcement sources for his report.
NBC NEWS: Orlando gunman called 911, pledged allegiance to head of ISIS just before the shooting -@PeteWilliamsNBC https://t.co/pHKUPK1lM9
6.20pm BST
The two presumptive nominees for president have each responded to the mass shooting. The Democrat expressed solidarity with the victims and the Republican thanked his followers for “the congrats” for talking about his fears of terrorism.
Woke up to hear the devastating news from FL. As we wait for more information, my thoughts are with those affected by this horrific act. -H
Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!
Feinstein: "While it remains unclear why this individual conducted this attack, it certainly appears to be an act of terror."
6.09pm BST
Cities around the US are rallying behind Orlando, offering assistance and stepping up their security around LGBT locations in their own precincts.
In New York, mayor Bill de Blasio has ordered all US flags at half-staff as a mark of respect for the victims, and City Hall will be lit in rainbow colors “to represent LGBT pride at sunset”. Police have set up around the historic Stonewall Inn, considered one of the birthplaces of the gay rights movement.
@PhillyPolice we mourn,remember victims of Orlando as #gayprideParade proceeds Phila hate has no place @PhillyGoal pic.twitter.com/P8riwSMqyJ
Equality Florida has set up a @gofundme page to help the families of the victims of the #PulseNightclub shooting https://t.co/45RxYJXdDH
6.01pm BST
One police officer was injured during the shoot-out. He was hit with a bullet to the head, but escaped with relatively minor injuries.
Chief of police John Mina said it was likely his kevlar helmet saved his life.
Pulse shooting: In hail of gunfire in which suspect was killed, OPD officer was hit. Kevlar helmet saved his life. pic.twitter.com/MAb0jGi7r4
5.46pm BST
Muslim leaders around the US have condemned the attacks and urged Americans to donate blood for the 53 men and women in hospitals, many in dire condition.
“We condemn this monstrous attack and offer our heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of all those killed or injured,’ the head of the Florida chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations, Rasha Mubarak, said in a statement.
“…if any one killed a person, it would be as if he killed the whole of mankind; and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole of mankind…”
We stand with our fellow Muslim students who are unjustly being scapegoated & vilified. We will not be used to fuel more hate.
5.34pm BST
Spencer Ackerman has spoken with a US official who offers a more cautious early analysis of the attack, suggesting a hate-crime motive. Bill Nelson has just said “there is some connection to Islamic radicalism” but cautioned: “we still don’t know the facts”.
A knowledgeable US official told the Guardian that an unfolding federal investigation was in the earliest stages, but an initial hypothesis regarding the shooter’s motive leaned closer to a hate crime than an act of terrorism.
Gunman's father tells NBC News his son got angry a couple months ago when he saw men kissing at Bayside in Miami pic.twitter.com/MSdCYcHuF9
5.30pm BST
Florida governor Rick Scott is now giving a press conference. Like other authorities he urges caution, but is emphatic about the attack: “this is clearly an act of terror.”
“You just can’t imagine what these families are going through, families are still waiting to find out what happened to their loved ones,” he says.
Governor Rick Scott: "This is clearly an act of terrorism." pic.twitter.com/Tvcl3wHNGG
This is an attack on our people. An attack on Orlando. An attack on Florida. An attack on America. An attack on all of us.
5.14pm BST
Florida senator Bill Nelson has just clarified his remarks about thinking of FBI intelligence officials, saying that some officials believe there is a link to “radicalism”, an not necessarily the terror group Islamic State.
There has been no claim of responsibility from any group.
Next press conference at 2 p.m. #PrayforOrlando
5.08pm BST
President Barack Obama has announced that he will make a speech from the White House at 1.30pm ET.
He will speak from the Brady Room, the same place he emotionally pleaded with Congress “we can’t wait” to act on gun violence earlier this year.
The Vice President was briefed this morning by his national security advisor on the heinous attack that took place overnight at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Vice President Biden offered his prayers for all those killed and injured in the shooting and sends his condolences to all the families and loved ones of the victims. He is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to receive regular updates as we know more.
5.02pm BST
Intelligence officials “believe that there is some link to Isis”, Florida senator Bill Nelson has just told reporters at a press conference.
He cautioned repeatedly that the information is tentative, and later clarified that they believed a link to “radicalism”, and not necessarily to coordination with a terror group abroad.
Rep. Schiff, who is always cautious, says Dept. of Homeland Security told him Orlando shooter made pledge of allegiance to Islamic State.
4.53pm BST
Imam Muhammad Musri, president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, was another of the speakers at the press conference just given by Florida authorities.
He emphatically denounced the violence, and called for Americans to unite in the face of horror.
I call on everybody in the community who has any info to please call the FBI share what you know. I call on my fellow faith leaders, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, whatever faith you follow, please pray for the victims and their families.
It’s supposed to be a beautiful morning but it is already an incredibly heartbreaking morning. It’s like lightning. This person is not likely to be connected to a network. I also want to caution the media from rushing to judgment and sensationalizing the story, we do not want the story to be shifted from the focus where it is.
It’s a horrible tragedy. We are mourning. We are sad. We are heartbroken. It’s not really time for any sensational news and rushing to judgment. As a nation we need to look at this issue of mass shootings, we just had one too many today.
4.43pm BST
Related: Pulse nightclub shooting - in pictures
4.30pm BST
Approximately 50 people have been killed and 53 hospitalised after a shooting at a LGBT nightclub in Orlando.
Florida police and Swat teams ended a hostage situation with a gunman, killing him, in the early hours of of Sunday morning.
4.17pm BST
Police have set up a hotline for family members who believe their loved ones might have been caught up in the attacks.
Police are still trying to identify all victims at the night club and hospital.
4.11pm BST
“It’s a tragedy of unimaginable proportions,” Mayor Buddy Dyer told Wesh-TV. “My heart goes out to the victims, their families. But we’re a strong resilient community.”
Dyer, who has been mayor of Orlando for 14 years, says he’s “never seen anything like this, I hope no mayor ever has to see anything like this.”
4.02pm BST
Michael Cheatham, a surgeon with Orlando Health, told the press briefing that local hospitals had implemented the “mass casualty plan” after the shooting and spent the morning operating on a number of victims, “many of them critically ill as a result of their injuries”.
3.49pm BST
A state of emergency has been declared across the city of Orlando, Mayor Dyer has announced, to allow law enforcement officials to focus on the investigation of the shooting at Pulse night club overnight.
Speaking at a press conference near the site of the shooting, law enforcement officials gave an update on the process of the investigation.
3.24pm BST
Mayor Dyer confirmed to a press conference that there were 50 killed and 53 hospitalised in the shooting, not 20 killed and 42 hospitalised as initially reported by police.
John Mina, chief of police said that initially officers believed there were 20 dead. But now that they have been able to access the entirety of the building, they can confirm up to 50 people have been killed.
3.18pm BST
The New York Republican congressman Peter King, a member of the House homeland security committee and chairman of the sub-committee on counterterrorism and intelligence, has told CNN his sources have told him Omar Mateen, the suspect in the Orlando shooting who has been named by media outlets using anonymous sources, was “from Afghanistan and we believe he is trained in the use of weapons”.
This contradicts other reports, that the suspect’s family is from Afghanistan but he was born in America. The Guardian has not yet been able to confirm the identity of the suspect.
3.04pm BST
Several news outlets have identified the gunman as Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old from Fort Pierce Florida.
The Washington Post said his identity was confirmed by relatives and law enforcement officials, though Orlando police have not issued an official statement confirming the identity of the suspect.
3.00pm BST
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have both taken to Twitter in response to the shooting in Orlando.
Really bad shooting in Orlando. Police investigating possible terrorism. Many people dead and wounded.
Desperté con la devastadora noticia de FL. Mientras esperamos más información,mis pensamientos están con los afectados de este horrible acto
2.37pm BST
Police press conference has been pushed back 45 minutes. We’ll keep an eye on it and let you know what’s said.
Next media update is pushed to 10:15 am. Same location.
2.20pm BST
Barack Obama’s press secretary has issued a statement:
“The President was briefed this morning by Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, on the tragic shooting in Orlando, Florida. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the victims. The President asked to receive regular updates as the FBI, and other federal officials, work with the Orlando Police to gather more information, and directed that the federal government provide any assistance necessary to pursue the investigation and support the community.”
2.18pm BST
Terry DeCarlo from the GLBT Community Center of Orlando announced that they will be providing counselling, in person or by phone, to those affected by the night’s events.
In an emotional interview with local television station Wesh, DeCarlo said: “How can you not say that this was an attack on the LGBT community when it’s done in an LGBT club and a shooter walks in and there are 20 of your community members lying in a club and another 40 lying on hospital gurneys.”
2.00pm BST
Many people have spent the early hours of the morning waiting outside local hospitals, some of which have been in “lockdown” since the shooting, admitting only patients and essential personnel.
At this time, our facilities are currently under lockdown. Only essential workers are being allowed access.
If you believe an immediate family member may be in the hospital, please come to the main entrance of ORMC’s new north tower. ID required.
1.48pm BST
If police chief John Mina’s estimate proves accurate that about 20 people were killed in the Orlando shooting, it already ranks as one of the deadliest in American history.
Related: 1,052 mass shootings in 1,066 days: this is what America's gun crisis looks like
1.18pm BST
The Orlando police department has announced another press conference for 9.30am ET, likely to be held in conjunction with representatives from the FBI and the county sheriff’s department.
Next press conference will be at 9:30 a.m. Same location.
12.56pm BST
A shooting at a LGBT nightclub in Orlando has killed about 20 people and sent 42 to the hospital, after Florida police and Swat teams ended a hostage situation with a gunman, killing him, in the early hours of of Sunday morning.
At a morning press conference the FBI described the shooting as an act of terrorism, saying: “Whether that’s a domestic terrorist activity or international, it’s terrorism.”
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