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'Mass casualties' in Florida gay club attack, shooter dead, says police
Local media reported that a number of people had been shot but there were was no confirmed fatalities.
Local media reported that a number of people had been shot but there were was no confirmed fatalities.
Miami
: Police said that the shooter who took several hostages at a nightclub in downtown Orlando, Florida early Sunday, leaving "multiple injuries," have been shot dead.
Orlando Police did not immediately provide further details on the department's official Twitter account on Sunday.
It was not immediately clear how the shooter died. Police described the shooting as a "mass casualty situation" and said local, state and federal agencies were involved in the investigation.
"There are injuries. I am not sure if there are any deceased at this time," a police dispatcher had said earlier, describing it as an "active shooting."
Several patrons had posted on social media that a gunman had holed up inside and was holding hostages.
A post on the department's official Twitter account early Sunday morning says "multiple injuries" have been reported following the incident at the Pulse Orlando nightclub near Orange and Kaley avenue. The department also advises people to "stay away from area." Multiple emergency vehicles have reportedly responded.
Shooting at Pulse Nightclub on S Orange. Multiple injuries. Stay away from area. pic.twitter.com/5Di2mc6XUY
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) June 12, 2016
Pulse Orlando's earlier posted a note to its own Facebook page that said: "Everyone get out of pulse and keep running."
Local media reported that a number of people, ranging from seven to as many as 20, had been shot but there were was no confirmed fatalities.
The shooting occurred at the Pulse nightclub, police confirmed.
The shooting came just over a day after a gunman shot and killed singer Christina Grimmie following a concert at the city's Plaza Live Theater.
Grimmie's killer, who took his own life, was identified Saturday as 27-year-old Kevin James Loibl, of St Petersburg, Florida.
Loibl was armed with two handguns, ammunition and a hunting knife, police said. His motive was unknown.
A loud blast was heard outside the nightclub and was cited as a "controlled explosion" by law enforcement officials, police said.
"That sound was a controlled explosion by law enforcement," the Orlando police said on its Twitter account.
