Orlando witness shares account of deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history
A lone gunman wielding an assault-type rifle opened fire inside the crowded Pulse nightclub, a popular, small gay dance club near downtown Orlando, Fla., June 12. It now stands as the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.
Fifty people are confirmed dead, including the attacker. Fifty-three more are injured — most are said to be in critical condition in hospital. Officials have declared a state of emergency and have been working through the night to remove bodies.
As the CBC's David Common told The Current's host Anna Maria Tremonti, "Investigators were describing [the crime scene] as a sea of blood, given the large loss of life."
Justin Barnes watched the violence unfold across the street from the Pulse nightclub. He told Anna Maria Tremonti he heard the gunfire and saw an officer running around the patio area. Barnes remembers the experience as horrific.
The desperation to get friends out was something Barnes recalls to Anna Maria as people were rushing towards the nightclub. "I love people. I didn't want to be that person that wasn't able to help when I could," he said.
Earlier this morning, Barnes found out friends who were in the club have died.
U.S. President Barack Obama called the deadly shooting "an act of terror and an act of hate."
The shooter targeted a nightclub where people came together to be with friends, to dance, to sing and to live. The place where they were attacked is more than a nightclub, it is a place of solidarity, of empowerment, where people have come together ... to advocate for their civil rights.- U.S. President Barack Obama.
The suspected killer is 29-year-old Omar Mateen, a U.S. citizen who lived in Port St. Lucie, about 200 km from Orlando. Officials say Mateen may have had leanings towards ISIS.
The reaction from Orlando's heartbroken LGBQT community was clear: this was an attack on them.
Jonathan Detwiler wasn't at the Pulse nightclub when the shooting took place but says he often frequents the popular spot. "This is not only an act of terror but it is a personal attack on the LGBT community of central Florida," he said.
Detwiler vowed the community will find the strength to cope with the traumatizing attack,"This is one of the strongest communities that I have ever been a part of and I will say that we will rise from this... find the most positive things from the situation and move forward from it."
Guests in this segment:
- David Common, CBC News correspondent and network host reporting from Orlando, Fla.
- Justin Barnes, witness to the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla.
- Peter Bergen, CNN national security analyst and vice-president at New America, a think-tank in Washington, D.C.
This segment was produced by The Current's Idella Sturino and Marc Apollonio.
'Love is love is love is love is love, and love cannot be killed or swept aside'
Last night Lin-Manuel Miranda accepted his Tony Award for best original score for the Broadway hit Hamilton. A visibly emotional Miranda addressed the mass killings in Orlando with a sonnet.