A gunman who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State opened fire inside a crowded gay bar and dance club here early Sunday, leaving 50 people dead and 53 injured in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, authorities said.
The deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11 followed a clarion call by ISIS to its supporters in the United States to launch attacks during Ramadan, the Islamic Holy Month, which started last week, the CNN reports.
The attack began at about 02:00 local time (06:00 GMT) on Sunday at the Pulse nightclub. There was an exchange of fire with a police officer working at the club, after which the suspect took hostages, according to the BBC.
At 05:00 a police assault team went into the club after police received text messages and phone calls from some of the hostages. Mateen was killed in an exchange of fire.
Ten of his victims have so far been named: Edward Sotomayor Jr, Stanley Almodovar III, Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, Juan Ramon Guerrero, Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, Peter O Gonzalez-Cruz, Luis S Vielma, Kimberly Morris, Eddie Jamoldroy Justice and Darryl Roman Burt II.
US President Barack Obama has described the attack as “an act of terror and an act of hate”.
It was a further reminder of how easy it was to acquire a deadly weapon in the US and shoot people, he said.
“We have to decide if that’s the kind of country we want to be,” said the president, who has campaigned for stricter gun laws. “To actively do nothing is a decision as well.”
Mr Obama has ordered flags on federal buildings to be flown at half mast until sunset on Thursday.
Later the White House said Mr Obama had postponed a joint appearance with the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee for president, Hillary Clinton.