The Orange County Sheriff's Office on Thursday released transcripts of calls and texts made to 911 dispatchers as the massacre at Pulse nightclub unfolded more than two weeks ago.
- Sheriff's Office releases 911 dispatcher transcripts of Pulse shooting
- People inside club, some wounded, pleaded 911 for help
- 5:04 a.m.: 'All units stand down for (Orlando) SWAT'
In the PDF documents, people report that an active shooter is inside the building in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 12. They tell dispatchers that they can hear gunshots.
Club-goers — some injured from gunshot wounds — talked to dispatchers from several bathrooms.
At 2:05 a.m., the dispatcher writes, "Shooting inside Pulse Nightclub, multiple people down."
Then a minute later, "Still have an active shooter inside."
At 2:14 a.m., the dispatcher says, "People running out of club."
"Per OPD (Orlando Police Department), suspect is still barricaded inside the club, they are trying to make entry."
As law enforcement officials who responded to the scene begin to learn more about the weapons the gunman had, at 2:18 a.m., the dispatcher notes, "Shield will not stop rifle fire." Five minutes later, "He's got a long gun, need to get these people out."
At 2:25 a.m., a dispatcher writes that a caller says that a "male shooter is holding them hostage in the bathroom."
Then, victims and families start to call in:
At 2:36 a.m., "My complainant is 18 years old, she is losing eyesight and feeling in her body, unknown what the shooter was wearing."
Ten minutes later: "My complainant advised her son is in the bathroom with shooter. Son has not responded to her message since 2:42."
In the middle of the chaos, there was also concern for those people outside the club. At 2:55 a.m., the dispatcher writes, "Civilians walking northbound on Orange need to be stopped."
At 4:29 a.m., a dispatcher writes: "A text adv the susp is going to attach 4 vest to 4 people in differrent (sic) directionals in the club."
That's when Orlando Police made the call to bust into the club, Chief John Mina previously said. At 5:02 a.m.: "OPD dispatch adv, OPD SWAT is going to make entry and if anyone is in the restroom, they need to do exactly what the SWAT members ask."
More than two hours pass, and at 5:14 a.m.: "Shots fired in the north bathroom, per OPD dispatch."
Just after 5:30 a.m., disptach "Confirmed suspect is down."
On Wednesday, Orlando Police released a cache of documents, including fire inspection reports on the building, texts, 911 calls and emails.
Shooter Omar Mateen also called 911 dispatchers from the club. Investigators have said he pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group during the attack that killed 49 people, the deadliest in modern U.S. history.