ORLANDO, FLORIDA — At least 50 people are dead and another 53 injured after a mass shooting at a downtown Orlando nightclub early Sunday morning, officials have confirmed. <br /> <br />Authorities said Omar Mateen, 29, was armed with a .223 caliber AR type rifle and a handgun when he entered Pulse nightclub off Orange Avenue and Kaley Street at about 2 a.m. and started shooting, according to WESH. <br /> <br />Officials said more than 300 people were inside for the club’s “Latin flavor” event when the shooting broke out. <br /> <br />An officer working at the nightclub responded to reports of shots fired. He and two officers nearby opened fire on the shooter and a gunbattle ensued, according to Fox 6. <br /> <br />The shooter then went back into the club and the incident turned into a hostage situation, police said. <br /> <br />After a three-hour standoff, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said a decision was made to rescue hostages at about 5 a.m. <br /> <br />Police crashed into the building with an armored vehicle and stun grenades, according to CNN. Mina said the police were able to rescue about 30 people. <br /> <br />According to Mina, 11 Orlando police officers and several Orange County sheriff’s deputies exchanged fire with Mateen and killed him. <br /> <br />According to a report by CNN, a U.S. official said Mateen called 911 during the attack to pledge allegiance to ISIS and mentioned the Boston Marathon bombers.
