ISIS claims responsibility for Florida gay club massacre: American-Afghan terrorist phoned 911 to pledge allegiance to group DURING attack before he was killed by cops
- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
- US citizen Omar Mateen, 29, opened fire inside Pulse gay club in Orlando in the early hours of Sunday morning
- Mateen, from Port St. Lucie in Florida, killed at least 50 people, injured 53 and took about 100 party-goers hostage
- Police used an explosive device to distract the gunman and rescued around 30 people who had been taken hostage
- Officers engaged in gunfire with the man and an officer was shot in the head, but he was saved by his helmet
- Mateen was eventually shot dead by officers shortly after 5am - three hours after the massacre began
- Shooter had an associates degree in criminal justice and worked as a security guard with a company called G4S
- Mateen was a 'known quantity' to the FBI and was investigated twice before the mass shooting
- See more of the latest news on the Orlando shooting at Pulse gay club as gunman shoots at least 50 dead
DAILY MAIL
Shooter Omar Mateen (pictured), 29, from Port St. Lucie in Florida, opened fire at Pulse night club in the early hours of Sunday
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the the deadliest mass shooting in US history and says the gunman who slaughtered at least 50 innocent party-goers in an Orlando gay club was one of its fighters.
Shooter Omar Mateen, 29, from Port St. Lucie in Florida, opened fire at Pulse night club in the early hours of Sunday, killing at least 50 people and injuring 53 others.
This is the first time ISIS has claimed responsibility for an attack on US soil.
Shortly before the attack, Mateen, who was born in New York to Afghan parents, called 911 and pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, law enforcement officials told NBC News.
And the terror group's Amaq news agency said on Sunday the Islamist militant group was responsible for the shooting.
'The armed attack that targeted a gay night club in the city of Orlando in the American state of Florida which left over 100 people dead or injured was carried out by an Islamic State fighter,' Amaq said.
U.S. officials cautioned, however, that they had no immediate evidence of any direct connection with ISIS or any other foreign extremist group, nor had they uncovered any contacts between the gunman and any such group.
During the attack, Mateen referenced the brothers who carried out the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, a Massachusetts State Police spokesman said on Sunday.
'During a conference call with federal law enforcement officials a short time ago, Massachusetts State Police and other local law enforcement authorities learned that the Orlando nightclub gunman, during his rampage, pledged allegiance to ISIS and referenced the Tsarnaev brothers,' state police spokesman David Procopio said in an e-mail.
The Tsarnaev brothers killed three people and injured more than 260 in the April 15, 2013, attack. Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, died four days later during a gun battle with police while Dzhokhar Tsaranev, now 22, has been sentenced to death for his role in the attack.
However Mateen's father, Mir Seddique, told NBC News the attack was 'nothing to do with religion' and said his son became angry when he saw two men kissing in Miami several months ago.
'We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident,' he said. 'We weren't aware of any action he is taking. We are in shock like the whole country.'
So far, only seven victims of the massacre have been officially identified by the city of Orlando on its website.
They are: Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34; Stanley Almodovar III, 23; Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20; Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22; Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36; Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22; and Luis S. Vielma, 22.
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Pictured: US citizen Omar Mateen, 29, from Port St. Lucie in Florida, slaughtered at least 50 people inside a gay club in Orlando
Attack: A woman sits on the ground outside the club while another party-goer, whose legs are covered in blood, stands beside her
A mini van pictured at the scene of the shooting has been confirmed as the vehicle used by Omar Mateen, 29, from Port St. Lucie in Florida
Forensics pictured stanging outside at the nightclub after shooter Omar Mateen, 29, opened fire in the early hours of Sunday
Distressing: People wait outside the emergency entrance of the Orlando Regional Medical Center hospital after the shooting (left). Right: A man reacts to the tragic news
Investigators from the office of the medical examiner investigate the west side of Pulse nightclub where the gunman opened fire
Distraught: A woman sits outside the nightclub following the mass shooting. Around 50 people were killed by the suspected gunman
Friends and family members embrace outside the Orlando Police Headquarters during following the shooting at Pulse nightclub
Ray Rivera, a DJ at Pulse Orlando nightclub, is consoled by a friend outside Orlando Police Department following the shooting
Demetrice Naulings sobs outside the Orlando Police Headquarters where police are interviewing witnesses to the deadly attack
Friends and family members embrace outside Orlando Police Headquarters following the deadly shooting in the early hours of Sunday
SWAT: Orange County Sheriff's Department SWAT members arrive at the scene of the fatal shooting at Pulse Orlando nightclub in Orlando
Fatalities: At least 50 people were killed and 53 others were injured in the shooting. Pictured: An Orange County Sheriff's Department SWAT member
An FBI spokesman said the mass shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism. Pictured: Forensics at the scene of the attack
Police, army and FBI surround the club after the gunman, wielding an assault rifle and a handgun, killed about 50 people
Angel Mendez, standing outside the Orlando Regional Medical Center, holds up a cell phone displaying a photo of his brother Jean C. Mendez, who was at the Pulse nightclub. Angel is seeking information on his whereabouts
An FBI spokesman said the mass shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
US citizen Mateen, who was shot dead by officers, entered the nightclub wielding an AR-15 assault rifle and a handgun. He also had an unidentified 'device', said Orlando Police Chief John Mina.
Mateen had purchased at least two firearms legally within the last week or so, according to FBI agent Ronald Hopper.
Mina said the suspect exchanged gunfire with an officer working at the club around 2am local time, then went back inside and took hostages.
There were about 350 people inside the club at the time of the shootings and about 100 people were taken hostage.
Writing on Facebook, Pulse urged party-goers to 'get out and keep running' as bullets started flying.
At around 5am authorities sent in a SWAT team to rescue the hostages. Hero officers used a 'controlled explosion' to distract the shooter before fatally shooting him and rescuing about 30 hostages who were hiding in the bathroom of the club.
During the gunfire, an officer was shot, but he was saved by his helmet.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said in a press conference: 'Many were saved by the heroic efforts of the men and women of the OPD, the Orange County Sheriffs, Seminal County Sheriff's office.'
THE AMERICANS MURDERED BY AN ISIS FANATIC AS THEY PARTIED: BRAND MANAGER, PHARMACY TECHNICIAN AND THEME PARK EMPLOYEE ARE AMONG THE 50 SHOT DEAD
These are the victims of the worst mass shooting in American history. So far, only seven victims have been officially identified by the city of Orlando on its website.
They are: Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34; Stanley Almodovar III, 23; Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20; Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22; Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36; Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22; and Luis S. Vielma, 22.
According to his LinkedIn page, Sotomayor worked as the national brand manager for ALandChuck Travel, a company that specialized in vacations for the gay community.
Juan Ramon Guerrero (left) and Luis Vielma (right) died in the nightclub shooting on Sunday, authorities have confirmed
He was a caring, energetic man known for wearing a silly top hat on cruises, said David Sotomayor, who identified himself as the victim's cousin.
David, who lives in Chicago, said Edward worked for a company that held gay cruises and often traveled to promote the company's events. 'He was just always part of the fun,' he said.
The pair discovered they were related after meeting at Orlando's annual Gay Days festival around a decade ago. They texted regularly and kept in touch, last seeing each other earlier this year at a filming of the television reality show RuPaul's Drag Race, David said.
David is a drag queen who appeared on a season of the show.He said Sotomayor supported him and often sent him Facebook messages. They exchanged messages as recently as last week.
'You never think that's going to be the last time you speak to him,' David said. 'It's just heartbreaking to know it just can happen anytime.'
Almodovar's mother Rosalie Ramos, 51, paid tribute to her son, calling him a 'happy man with a big heart.'
She was frantic after receiving a call that informed her that her son had been shot. 'I was hoping maybe [he was shot in] the hand or the leg,' she told the Orlando Sentinel. 'You can survive [a gunshot to] the leg.'
But Almodovar, a pharmacy technician, was shot three times, in the chest, stomach and side of his body. He died at Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Edward Sotomayor Jr. (left) and Stanley Almodovar III (right) were the first victims identified in the aftermath of the worst mass shooting in American history
Sabiel Rivera, 30, who is a neighbor of Almodovar in Clermont, Florida, told Dailymail.com that he 'was a cool guy, who was very humble and never got into any trouble'.
It is believed he shared a top floor apartment with his mother.
Originally from Springfield, Massachusetts, he was living in Clermont, according to his Facebook page, which has been flooded by friends paying tribute in the aftermath of the tragedy.
'Rest in peace my friend, wrote Brian Garcia. 'You were always so full of joy Stanley, we will miss you buddy.'
Mark Nielson added: 'We'll miss you Stanley. You made an impact on everyone that you came around. A good person and friend.'
He graduated from East Ridge High School in Clermont in 2011 before studying at Anthem College, his family said.
Guerrero was so concerned about how his family would react to his sexuality that he only came out to his parents at the beginning of this year, his cousin Robert Guerrero told CBS News.
When he did, they were 'very accepting,' the 19-year-old said. 'As long as he was happy, they were OK with it,' Robert said.He was in a relationship with someone that his relatives came to see as a member of the family.
Robert said he began to worry about his cousin, who worked as a telemarketer and was a student at the University of Central Florida, when he heard about the shooting at a club he knew Guerrero sometimes visited. Later in the day, his worst fears were realized.
'He was always this amazing person and he was like a big brother to me,' he said. 'He was never the type to go out to parties, would rather stay home and care for his niece and nephew.'
Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo (left) and Eric Ortiz-Rivera (right) also died in the shooting at Pulse nightclub, authorities have said
Friends and family paid tribute to Capo on Facebook, who they called 'Omar' in tributes.
His aunt Carla Ocasio called him her 'dear nephew' and shared a photo of the 20-year-old that said 'dance freely in the heavens'.
Another family member, Robert said: 'God bless us all and give us strength in our time of need. Lord guide us with your light so we don't live in fear of the darkness evil brings.'
Vielma worked at Universal Orlando as a production assistant on the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride, according to his Facebook page.
Help: An injured person is escorted out of Pulse nightclub after a shooting rampage. At least 50 people were killed in the attack
Two men carry an injured man to safety following the shooting at the gay club in Orlando in the early hours of Sunday morning
Response: Emergency services are pictured at the scene outside Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida following Sunday morning's shooting
Mina Justice was outside the club trying to contact her 30-year-old son Eddie, who texted her when the shooting happened and asked her to call police
![Warning: The club told revellers on Facebook that 'everyone [should] get out of Pulse and keep running' as the gunman attacked](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tU0smrg0VNf10HddU7DKx2_w7CWr3wgi-yVBPdXwyRx_E9ZOZb9yFkoLcIulHGooM2Qie8NnmOm6AiVj49NNdxkuxz1FlumlfqwR8FMmbg8jzHL8RofleWUNbCMiehcH43_cFDyBVjoSSVkaosyQmJAjew1OQVLbt-RxsP91rfJkPz4E3WDdU2RYbT6Ys8IU9N7bVr-hzWwgOx1O_rcPrwwhyZRs-JfN8xN_LbhBH5FPdwWH7JH1ia9Lwz86HaYUU=s0-d)
Warning: The club told revellers on Facebook that 'everyone [should] get out of Pulse and keep running' as the gunman attacked
Help: People, including Christopher Hansen, carry an injured person from the nightclub after the gunman opened fire. In total, 42 people were taken to hospital. Hansen (left and right) said he was in the VIP lounge when he started hearing gunshots.
Fears: Orlando Police officers direct family members away from a multiple shooting at the nightclub in Orlando, Florida
Help: An injured man is escorted out of the Pulse nightclub after a shooting rampage. He was one of 53 people wounded in the attack
Terrifying: Shortly before the attack, Mateen, who was born in New York to Afghan parents, called 911 and pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Pictured: Emergency services at the scene
Dozens of officers and medics were at the scene including Orlando Fire Department's bomb squad and hazardous material team
Hero officers used a 'controlled explosion' to distract the shooter before fatally shooting him and were able to rescue about 30 hostages who were hiding in the bathroom of the club. During the gunfire, an officer was shot, but he was saved by his helmet (pictured)
Announcements: Orlando Police confirm the shooter is dead and they were dealing with a 'mass casualty situation'
At around 6am local time police tweeted: 'Pulse Shooting: The shooter inside the club is dead.'
In total, 39 people were killed inside the club, two outside, and nine others died after being rushed to hospital.
Mateen, a Muslim and father to a three-year-old son, was born in 1986 in New York and married Sitora Alisherzoda Yusufiy, who was born in Uzbekistan, in 2009. They later divorced.
Before the shooting, he appeared to live a quiet life. The imam of the Florida mosque that he attended for nearly 10 years described him as a soft-spoken man who would visit regularly but rarely interact with the congregation.
‘He hardly had any friends,’ Syed Shafeeq Rahman, who heads the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce, said. ‘He would come with his little son at night to pray and after he would leave.’
Rahman said Mateen never approached him regarding any concerns about homosexuals. Rahman said he himself had been increasingly speaking out against violence, noting that even inflicting a scratch on someone was against the tenets of Islam.
A classmate from his Florida high school described him as a typical teenager who played football for a Martin County team in Stuart, a small city about a 20-minute drive from Fort Pierce.
Samuel King said he often spoke with Mateen after he graduated high school. King worked at Ruby Tuesday’s restaurant in the Treasure Coast Mall, where Mateen worked at GNC, the nutrition store, he said.
King, who is openly gay, said the Mateen he knew until 2009 did not appear to be anti-gay.
‘What is shocking to me is that the majority of the staff at Ruby Tuesday’s when I worked there were gay,' he said. 'He clearly was not anti-(gay) at least not back then.
'He did not show any hatred to any of us. He treated us all like the individuals we were. He always smiled and said hello.’
King described Mateen as gregarious and talkative in the immediate years after high school, but said ‘something must have changed’ since he last saw him in 2009.
Of the event that could have prompted the attack, Mateen's father told NBC News: 'We were in Downtown Miami, Bayside, people were playing music. And he saw two men kissing each other in front of his wife and kid and he got very angry.
'They were kissing each other and touching each other and he said, "Look at that. In front of my son they are doing that". And then we were in the men's bathroom and men were kissing each other.'
Seddique said Mateen had attended Indian River State College, as well as having an associates degree in criminal justice.
The gunman was a security guard with a company called G4S. In a 2012 newsletter, the firm identified him as working in West Palm Beach.
In a statement sent Sunday to the Palm Beach Post, the security company confirmed that he had been an employee since September 2007.
He was a 'known quantity' to the FBI and was investigated twice before the mass shooting.
The FBI said Mateen, who had no criminal history, was first interviewed in 2013 after he made 'inflammatory remarks' to a colleague.
'The FBI first became aware of Mateen in 2013 as he made inflammatory comments to coworkers, alleging possible terrorist ties,' Hopper said during a press conference. 'The FBI thoroughly investigated the matter including interviews of witnesses, physical surveillance and records checks.
'In the course of the investigation, Mateen was interviewed twice.
'Ultimately we were unable to verify the substance of his comments, and the investigation was closed.'
In 2014, Mateen came to the FBI's attention again and agents interviewed him about a potential connection he may have had with American suicide bomber Moner Abu Salha, who lived about 30 minutes away in Vero Beach, Florida.
'We determined that contact was minimal and didn't to constitute a substantive relationship or threat at that that time,' Hopper said.
In addition, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said that Mateen purchased two weapons legally within the last week.
'He is not a prohibitive person so he can legally walk into a gun dealership,' the representative from the ATF said. 'He did so within the last week or so.'
Mateen had a Statewide Firearms License and was trained in firearms, according to Fox News.
The FBI believe Mateen, who was shot dead by officers, may have 'leanings to radical Islamic terrorism'.
Police were at his apartment in Port St. Lucie Sunday morning. Ken Mascara, Sheriff of Port St. Lucie County, told DailyMail.com: 'We have sealed the apartment where Mateen was living. The FBI is bringing bomb diffusing equipment.'
Joshua McGill, who was at the night club at the time of the shooting, described in a poston Facebook how he fled the attack.
'I hid under a car and found one of the victims that was shot,' McGill said, describing trying to bandage the victim with his shirt and quietly dragging him to a nearby police officer. 'Words cannot and will not describe the feeling of that. Being covered in blood. Trying to save a guy's life.'
Jon Alamo said he was inside the club, which was hosting a Latin-themed night, when a man holding a weapon entered the room he was in.
'I heard 20, 40, 50 shots,' Alamo said. 'The music stopped.'
Club-goer Rob Rick said it happened just before closing time. 'Everybody was drinking their last sip,' he said. He got on the ground and crawled toward a DJ booth.
ORLANDO GUNMAN'S EX-WIFE REVEALS HE BEAT HER FOR NOT DOING HOUSEHOLD CHORES
The ex-wife of Orlando gunman Omar Mateen claims he beat her, according to a report.
Sitora Yusufiy told the Washington Post she met New York-born Mateen online in 2009.
Within weeks, they decided to marry. She moved to Florida in March that year, where they wed and moved into a two-bedroom home owned by Mateen's family in Fort Pierce.
First wife: Sitora Yusufiy (pictured left and right) was allegedly beaten by Orlando shooter Omar Mateen
The ex-wife of Orlando gunman Omar Mateen claims he beat her, according to a report
At the start of their relationship, she told the Post, he was not particularly religious and was not violent.
Despite owning a handgun, she said, the then-21-year-old 'seemed like a normal human being' at first. He was a private person and dedicated much of his time to exercise. But eventually he became violent.
'He was not a stable person,' she told the Post. 'He beat me. He would just come home and start beating me up because the laundry wasn’t finished or something like that.'
When her parents found out about the beatings just months after the wedding, they staged an intervention and rescued her from the home.
'They literally saved my life,' she said.
The woman told the Post she has not had contact with Mateen since they finalized their divorce in 2011.
Speaking on Sunday, she told the newspaper she was still processing the news of Mateen's massacre.
'I am still processing. I am definitely lucky,' she said.
Scenes from Orlando Regional Medical Centre close to Pulse nightclub where a shooter opened fire killing at least 50 people
Relatives and friends of people who were inside the club at the time of the shooting are pictured outside Orlando Regional Medical Centre
Flowers are seen in front of the Orlando Health Center where some of the victims of the shooting at Pulse nightclub are being treated
Ken Mascara, Sheriff of Port St. Lucie County, told DailyMail.com: 'We have sealed the apartment where Mateen was living' (pictured)
Shooter Omar Mateen (left and right in his freshman year high school yearbook photo in 2001), 29, from Port St. Lucie in Florida, opened fire at Pulse night club in the early hours of Sunday morning
A bouncer knocked down a partition between the club area and an area in the back where only workers are allowed. People inside were able to then escape through the back of the club.
Christopher Hansen, who helped carry injured people from the club, said he was in the VIP lounge when he started hearing gunshots.
'I was thinking, are you kidding me? So I just dropped down. I just said please, please, please, I want to make it out,' he said. 'And when I did, I saw people shot. I saw blood. You hope and pray you don't get shot.'
He continued to hear shooting even after he emerged, where police were telling people to back away from the club. He saw injured people being tended to across the street.
Mina Justice was outside the club trying to contact her 30-year-old son Eddie, who texted her when the shooting happened and asked her to call police.
He told her he ran into a bathroom with others to hide. He then texted her: 'He's coming.'
She said: 'The next text said: "He has us, and he's in here with us". That was the last conversation.'
This Twitter user was in the club and described what he saw. He and three others were hiding as the gunman attacked
Juan Rivera reported that the gunman had a bomb strapped to himself inside the Orlando nightclub. An FBI spokesman said the mass shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism
The gunman opened fire at a nightclub in central Florida, and multiple people were wounded, police said. Pictured: Bystanders wait in the street for news
SNAPCHAT AUDIO CAPTURES SCREAMING HORROR AS GUNMAN FIRED 24 SHOTS IN JUST NINE SECONDS
A Snapchat video captured the sound of 24 gunshots being fired in just nine seconds at Orlando's Pulse nightclub on Sunday morning.
The footage obtained by WESH 2 News shows a dark street with police cars flashing in the distance.
In the background, there is the sound of one assault rifle firing two or more shots a second, and a woman's scream.
At the end of the video there is the sound of a gunshot from another gun.
The person filming says: 'Oh... my god... People are getting shot dude...'
A male voice next to him says: 'We need to get out of here.' But they stand there stunned as the gunshots keep going.
'This guy's firing out shots,' the friend adds.
The harrowing footage offers a glimpse into the horror that unfolded in Florida between 2am and 5am this morning.
Ricardo Almodovar, who was inside the nightclub, said: 'Shooter opened fire at 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.'
Juan Rivera tweeted: 'I am safely home and hoping everyone gets home safely as well. Never seen so many dead bodies on the floor, God is good that my friends and I didn't get shot'.
Rosie Feba was in the club with her girlfriend and described the moment the shooting happened.
She told the Orlando Sentinel: 'Everyone was getting on the floor. I told her [girlfriend] I didn't think it was real, I thought it was just part of the music, until I saw fire coming out of his gun.'
The police department posted on their official Twitter account: 'Multiple injuries. Stay away from the area.'
Dozens of officers and medics went to the scene, including Orlando Fire Department's bomb squad and hazardous material team.
President Obama spoke to the American people this afternoon about the country's latest mass casualty shooting
President Obama did not speak for long, but reminded the country of his position on gun control, though didn't bring up 'radical Islamic terror,' the line Republicans use to define the ISIS crisis
The attack at the gay club was during Pride Month, a LGBT celebration.
Puertorrican Drag Queen Kenya Michaels was due to perform at Pulse at midnight. She wrote on Twitter earlier this morning: 'I want everyone to know I am ok please pray for my friends and family at pulse night club.'
Florida Governor Rick Scott wrote on Twitter: 'My prayers are with the victims’ families & all those affected by the shooting in Orlando. We will devote every resource available to assist.'
President Obama furthered his gun control message on Sunday when addressing the massacre.
'Although it's still early in the investigation we know enough to say that this was an act of terror and an act of hate,' Obama said, making no reference to ISIS or Islamic terror in his brief remarks.
Obama called the shooting spree a reminder of how easy it is for someone to get a hold of a weapon that could kill people in a 'school, or a house of worship, or a movie theater, or in a nightclub'.
'And we have to decide if that's the kind of country we want to be,' Obama said. 'And to actively do nothing is a decision as well,' the president added.
The president started his remarks by addressing where things stood in the investigation.
'We are still learning the facts. This is an open investigation. We have reached no definitive judgment on the precise motivations of the killer,' Obama said.
'What is clear is that he was a person filled with hate,' Obama said.
The president said that the shooting was 'especially heartbreaking' for Americans in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
'The shooter targeted a nightclub where people came together to be with friends, to dance and to sing, and to live,' Obama noted.
'The place where they were attacked was more than a nightclub, it was a place of solidarity, of empowerment, where people have come together to raise awareness, to speak their minds and to advocate for their civil rights,' he continued.
Donald Trump challenged President Obama to use the terminology 'radical Islamic terrorism' in the president's brief remarks. Obama did no such thing
'So this is a sobering reminder that attacks on any American, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation, is an attack on all of us and of the fundamental values of equality and dignity that define of us a country,' the president added.
Obama noted the historical nature of the shooting – setting a record for the nation's worst – before making his gun control pitch.
'The shooter was apparently armed with a handgun and a powerful assault rifle,' Obama said.
President Obama has taken to the podium in the aftermath of many shootings during his almost eight years in office.
Mark Knoller, the longtime CBS newsman, thinks today's message from the president is at least Obama's 20th time remarking on a shooting incident.
Directly beforehand, he was challenged by presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump to connect 'radical Islamic terrorism' to the case.
Obama didn't once bring up the Islamic religion, instead using the more blanket term of terrorism to describe the incident.
'Is President Obama going to finally mention the words radical Islamic terrorism? If he doesn't he should immediately resign in disgrace!' Trump wrote.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton wrote in both English and Spanish: '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.'
Pope Francis, Britain's Queen Elizabeth and the leaders of Canada and Afghanistan condemned the attack.
If confirmed as an act of terrorism, it would be the deadliest such attack on U.S. soil since September 11, 2001, when al Qaeda-trained hijackers crashed jetliners into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, killing some 3,000 people.
The shooting took place less than four miles away from where The Voice singer and YouTube star Christina Grimmie, 22, was shot dead by a gunman at The Plaza Live in Orlando on Friday 22.45 local time.
The man, identified as 27-year-old Kevin James Loibl, of St Petersburg, Florida was armed with two handguns, ammunition and a hunting knife.
He later killed himself and his motive was unknown.
A gunman opened firing at Pulse Club in Orlando causing mayhem inside. Writing on Facebook, Pulse urged party-goers to 'get out and keep running' as bullets started flying at around 2am local time
On Saturday, the nightclub had posted on their Facebook they were putting on a 'Latin Night' and invited club-goers to come party
Emergency services pictured outside Pulse Club, Orlando where the gunman killed around 50 people and took people hostage
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton wrote in both English and Spanish: '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'
Locations of the shooting in Pulse nightclub and The Plaza Live shooting where The Voice star Christina Grimmie, 22, was shot dead by a gunman on Friday 10.45pm local time
The shootings took place less than four miles away from where The Voice singer Christina Grimmie (pictured) was shot dead at The Plaza Live in Orlando
HOW ORLANDO VENUE WAS FOUNDED TO PROMOTE LGBT RIGHTS IN MEMORY OF FLORIDA MAN WHO DIED OF HIV
Tribute: Pulse, the brainchild of good friends Barbara Poma and Ron Legler (pictured together), was created in 2004 in tribute to Poma's brother John, a gay man who died of HIV in 1991. The club hosts educational events
The gay club targeted by a homophobic gunman on Sunday was founded to promote awareness of LGBT rights.
Pulse, the brainchild of Barbara Poma and Ron Legler, was created in 2004 in tribute to Poma's brother John, a gay man who died of HIV in 1991.
Alongside club nights and drag shows, the Orlando dance spot also hosts educational events about AIDS, safe sex, gay rights and transgender causes.
According to the club's website, Poma and Legler wanted to create a space for gay people in a community where many felt disenfranchised.
Poma's brother, they explain, was raised in a strict Italian family.
'Being gay was frowned upon,' the website reads.
'However, when John came out to his family and friends, the family dynamic transitioned from a culture of strict tradition to one of acceptance and love.'
After John died, Poma and Legler vowed to create space for people like him.
'It was important to create an atmosphere that embraced the gay lifestyle with décor that would make John proud.
'Most importantly, (we) coined the name Pulse for John's heartbeat — as a club that is John's inspiration, where he is kept alive in the eyes of his friends and family.'
It was a haven for the gay community, and a popular social spot for gay and straight party-goers.
'Even though this place is gay bar, all people come out and dance on Latin night,' reads on Yelp review.
Neither Poma nor Legler were available to comment immediately on Sunday as they deal with the aftermath of the massacre, the worst mass shooting attack in American history.
The gay community has come out in force to show solidarity with the targeted club and the victims.
Equality Florida said in a statement on Sunday that their support network has been flooded with distressed messages.
'We have received a steady stream of emails and messages from those seeking to help or to make sense of the senseless,' the statement read. 'We make no assumptions on motive. We will await the details in tears of sadness and anger.
'We stand in solidarity and keep our thoughts on all whose lives have been lost or altered forever in this tragedy.'
The group has also set up a GoFundMe page for victims, already raising more tha $650,000.
'No one can tell me where my son is': Mom reveals agonizing wait to hear news of her whether her son is alive or dead after he was caught up in the nightclub bloodbath
A mom broke down in tears as she spoke of her agonizing wait to hear whether her son is dead or alive following the fatal shooting at an Orlando gay club.
Christine Leinonen's son Christopher is believed to have been at nightclub Pulse when Omar Mateen, 29, opened fire, killing 50 people and injuring 53 others.
Speaking to ABC News from outside the Orlando Regional Medical Center this morning, Leinonen, 58, sobbed as she revealed she had been waiting hours for information on her son.
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Distraught: Christine Leinonen's son Christopher is believed to have been at nightclub Pulse when Omar Mateen, 29, opened fire, killing 50 people and injuring 53 others
'I haven't heard anything,' she said. 'I have been here since 4am. I have been waiting. I have been waiting by the emergency room, see if anybody gets called in.
'They said there's a lot of dead bodies at the club and that's a crime scene and they can't identify anybody so it could be hours and hours before we find out.
'The hospital said there are some bodies at the hospital that came in and they died. They are not identifiable yet either. And that there a few who are in a critical conditions who aren't identified yet.'
Leinonen told the station she rushed to the hospital after reading a panicked Facebook post by one of Christopher's friends at around 3am Sunday - just an hour after Mateen started shooting.
A friend who escaped the bloodbath told Leinonen he had seen Christopher's boyfriend being carried to an ambulance with multiple gunshot wounds but had not seen Christopher.
Leinonen revealed how the last words she said to her son were, 'I love you, Chris', following a conversation at 6pm Saturday - hours before the massacre.
The distraught mom also urged politicians and Americans to come together against gun violence, describing victims as members of a 'club that nobody wants to be in'.
'Please could we do something with the assault weapons so that we could stop this club from ever getting any new members,' she said. 'I beg all of you please.'
She continued: 'Please let's just all just get along... We are on this earth for such a short time. Let's try to get rid of the hatred and the violence, please.'
Leinonen added she had been 'so proud' of her son for starting a gay-straight alliance in high school.
Hundreds of people line up to give blood leaving banks 'overloaded' following horrific mass shooting at Orlando nightclub ... but gay men are BANNED from donating in the US
Hundreds of Orlando residents looking for ways to help victims of the tragic LGBT nightclub shooting lined up to donate blood and plasma outside of a blood bank Sunday morning.
OneBlood and the Orlando Regional Medical Center urgently requested people to donate blood following the shooting at Pulse nightclub that left at least 50 dead and 53 others injured and fighting for their lives.
Orlando Health Surgical Critical Care Dr Michael Cheatham said: 'We have spent the morning operating on a number of victims. We continue to operate on them. We found many of them are critically ill.
'Blood is a wonderful gift. You can work through the local banks to be able to donate and that would be a tremendous help.'
Gay men are not able to donate however despite the need, with the federal Food and Drug Administration legally prohibiting any man who has had sex with another man in the past year from giving blood.
That policy was put in place just last year, and actually loosened the agency's original ban issued in 1985 which prohibited any man who had engaged in sexual relations with another man at any time after 1977 from donating blood.
Hundreds of Orlando residents looking for a way to help victims of the tragic nightclub shooting lined up to donate blood and plasma outside of a blood bank Sunday morning
A blood donation line formed outside OneBlood and one reporter described the scene as 'overloaded' with people wanting to help
OneBlood's website issued a statement particularly looking for O negative, O positive and AB donors to donate as soon as possible.
The blood agency said it was needed to aid the wounded.
Pat Michaels, a spokesman for OneBlood told WFTV: 'Dozens of people have been injured and taken to area hospitals.'
He said the need for 'blood continues'.
Michaels added that donors should be generally healthy people age 16 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds.
An enormous blood donation line formed outside OneBlood and one reporter described the scene as 'overloaded' with people wanting to help.
Cheatham described the scene at the hospital as 'very hectic'.
Pat Michaels, a spokesman for OneBlood said 'dozens of people have been injured and taken to area hospitals' and that the need for 'blood continues'
Cheatham added that the surgeons see quite a few gunshot wounds but 'nothing to this scale'.
At one point the blood banks' website crashed from the overwhelming response of people trying to help.
OneBlood tweeted that the website was up and running shortly after.
The blood agency also tweeted: 'A tremendous response by blood donors. Asking donors to donate over the next several days.'
A Twitter user captured a video of hundreds of people patiently waiting outside the blood bank.
Father of America's most deadly mass shooter wanted top Afghan president job and had TV show where he showed support for the Taliban
The father of mass shooter Omar Mateen, who opened fire at a Florida nightclub killing 50 people, is a strong supporter of the Afghan Taliban.
Seddique Mateen is an Afghan man and also hosts the Durand Jirga Show on a channel called Payam-e-Afghan, which broadcasts from California.
Dozens of videos are posted under his name on YouTube where he speaks on a range of political subjects in the Dari language.
One video shows him declaring his candidacy for the Afghan presidency.
Seddique Mateen, (pictured) the father of mass shooter Omar Mateen, who opened fire at a Florida nightclub killing 50 people, is a strong supporter of the Afghan Taliban
Posts include topics such as 'Rise Afghan people against Pakistan' and 'Intelligent service and Military of Pakistan real Enemy of the USA (sic)'.
In one video the elder Mateen holds up a sign that reads: 'ISI Pakistan and Military is Destroying 14 years of US work in Afghanistan to cut AID to killers'.
And in another, he tells the camera: 'Our brothers in Waziristan, our warrior brothers in [the] Taliban movement and national Afghan Taliban are rising up.
'Inshallah the Durand Line issue will be solved soon, according to a translation by The Washington Post.
He is also filmed expressing gratitude toward the Afghan Taliban, while denouncing the Pakistani government.
Only hours before the massacre in Orlando, Seddique posted a video called Provisional Government of Afghanistan on a Facebook page, which he describes as 'social activity for communities to develop a good relationship'.
Mateen has posted a video of himself in army camouflage where he appears to be pretending he is the president of Afghanistan, and orders the arrest of several high profile Afghan figures.
On a Facebook page associated with Mateen, he has posted a video of himself in army camouflage where he appears to be pretending he is the president of Afghanistan
In the video he says: 'I order national army, national police and intelligence department to immediately imprison Karzai, Ashraf Ghani, Zalmay Khalilzad, Atmar, and Sayyaf.
'They are against our countrymen, and against our homeland.'
The most recent video on Mateen's YouTube channel shows him declaring his candidacy for the Afghan presidency, dated May 24, 2015.
In the video, Mateen appears incoherent at times and switching between Pashto - the language of Pashtuns and Dari - as well jumping between topics in an erratic fashion.
The Afghan presidential elections will be held on October 15, 2016. Much of the prelude to the election has focused on the debate over reforming Afghanistan's electoral laws.
Mateen also owns a nonprofit organization under the name Durand Jirga, which is registered in Port St. Lucie, Florida, according to the site.
Mateen has spoken out about his son's horrific act, telling NBC news: 'This has nothing to do with religion.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3637414/Everyone-running-Gunman-bursts-gay-nightclub-Florida-shoots-20-people-taking-hostages.html#ixzz4BQvPbsU9
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