A suspected terrorist shooting at an nightclub in Orlando has left at least 20 people dead, police have confirmed, adding that the attacker had been killed following a hostage situation at the club. Shots were fired at the Pulse Club, in the early hours of Sunday.Orlando police said the shooting was being treated as an "act of domestic terrorism" and had resulted in mass casualties, urging people to stay away from the area. Police confirmed that a number of people had been killed in the attack but refused to give a exact death toll.
In a press conference on Sunday morning, an FBI spokesman said investigators believed the attacker may have had extremist beliefs, and would consider possible links to Isis, but cautioned they were pursuing multiple leads. Authorities earlier said a controlled explosion had taken place inside the club, and urged media to avoid reporting inaccuracies.
Police also confirmed an officer on duty at the club exchanged shots with the gunman, and the situation then descended into a "hostage situation". The situation was resolved when a Swat team stormed the nightclub after receiving messages from club patrons who were hiding in the club while the gunman was still at large.
Several explosives and an armoured vehicle were used to break through a wall of the nightclub and rescue approximately 30 hostages. The suspect was shot by a police officer during this intervention. One witness told Sky News there had been more than 100 people inside the venue for the club's Latin night when the gunman entered the building and began firing into the ceiling and into the crowd.
Local news organisation Wesh reported that multiple a number of ambulances had been taken to the nearby hospital and people with injuries were being removed from the club. Many family members were still waiting to hear about the safety of their family members. Staff at the club posted a message on Facebook thanking people for their concern during the night's "tragic event".
The attack comes just days after the fatal shooting of Voice contestant Christina Grimmie in Orlando, while she was signing autographs for fans after a show. Kevin James Loibl has been named by police as the shooter in that incident and said the 26-year-old travelled to Orlando from his home in St Petersburg, Florida, about two hours' drive away, with the intention of carrying out the crime. There is no known connection between Grimmie and Loibl.
