The full day that has elapsed since the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting has seen many revelations. Initial details included a death toll of 50 with at least that many others injured. A SWAT team also killed the alleged shooter, Omar Saddiqui Mateen, who brandished a semi-automatic rifle. At least three people who knew Mateen — his father, ex-wife, and former co-worker — have all vouched for his violent and homophobic nature. The FBI continues to seek concrete answers as the media persists in digging into Mateen’s past.
Throughout the whole ordeal, a few beacons of hope remained. Donations — both of the blood and monetary variety — went sky high. Some eyewitnesses also revealed what went on inside the club. The second account (which you can see below) reveals even more grueling details that one can imagine. The first story involves heroics on the part of Joshua McGill. In this Facebook posting, he revealed how he saved a man named Rodney, who had been shot. McGill used his shirt to stop the victim’s bleeding, and he doesn’t know whether Rodney is recovering well from his wounds. So, McGill is getting the word out and hopes one of Rodney’s friends will respond.
McGill also spoke with CBS News about his efforts to save Rodney. As McGill relates, the massacre began just after the club’s last call for drinks. The horror lasted until around 5 a.m. when a SWAT team exchanged fire with Mateen. This interview reveals more about how McGill stuck with Rodney after the two left the building. At police officers’ instructions, McGill helped keep his new friend conscious and even gave him a a “bear hug” to help keep the man from bleeding out before an ambulance arrived. McGill admits he’s still in shock from the event.
Another clubgoer, Luis Burbano, appeared on The Kelly File to discuss what he heard and saw during the massacre. Burbano says he witnessed a “domino effect” of people falling to the ground. He also reveals the chaos that occurred and the shell-shocked appearances of the injured victims he encountered. Some of them didn’t even realize they had been shot. So horrific.