12:05 pm PT: US BRIEFING: cityoforlando/victims will list victims as they are confirmed.
* Florida police chief: 11 officers engaged in the shoot-out with Omar Saddiqui Mateen at Pulse nightclub around 5 am after 3-hour hostage taking which followed mass shooting.
50 reported killed, 53 injured.
* FBI: Had interviewed Mateen twice in 2013, once in 2014: Mateen was “cleared” according to FBI.
* ATF (Alcohol Tobacco Firearms): Mateen legally owned weapons. Long gun and handguns purchased within few days before shootings.
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Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio: “We know they seek to terrorize us…Islamic terrorists need to know they will not win.”
Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson says ISIS has claimed responsibility for the shootings.
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MCX assault rifle alleged to have been used by solo shooter in Orlando nightclub.
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11 am PT June 12: US President Barak Obama: “FBI is appropriately investigating this as a terrorist act.”
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US President Barak Obama to speak to the tragedy, this the 23rd mass shooting in the US since he became president and the 15th time he will have spoken to his nation after a mass shooting.
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US news reports suggest alleged shooter, Omar Mateen, called 911 [UPDATE as his attack was unfolding] to claim allegiance to head of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. [UPDATE In the 911 call Mateen allegedly stated his full name, mentioned Boston Marathon bombers.]
Also allegations shooter had anti-gay sentiments.
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Shootings allegedly began at 2 am Florida time (ET), in Pulse nightclub. Hostage taking allegedly continued for three hours until SWAT team entered.
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Orlando police identified the Orlando shooting suspect as Omar Mateen, 29. bit.ly/1tkFlt2
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Local police and US FBI believe a single shooter responsible for shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub.
Some US news outlets reporting it as an alleged terrorist attack.
