Orlando Nightclub Shooting: Resources For Victims' Families

Orlando, FL — The city of Orlando has opened a hotline number that family members can call for information following a mass shooting Sunday morning at the Pulse Orlando Night Club & Ultra Lounge. The shooting, which has been deemed terrorism-related, left 50 people dead and an estimated 53 injured.

Family members who need to check on loved ones are being asked to call 407-264-4357. Anyone with information related to the shooting is asked to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI and select “option 2.”

A family information center has also been opened at the Hampton Inn at 43 Columbia St. in Orlando.

The city of Orlando is also in the process of creating a webpage related to the tragedy at www.cityoforlando.net/victims. The victims' names will be published on the page once next of kin notifications have been made. As of Sunday afternoon, the page had not been made live.

This is “one of the worst tragedies we’ve seen,” Orlando Police Chief John Mina said at a Sunday morning press conference. “We believe this is a tragedy that can happen anywhere in the United States of America. If you see something, say something.”

See Also:

• Toll In Orlando Nightclub Shooting at 50
• Orlando Nightclub Shooting: Urgent Need for Blood Donors

The shooting reportedly began around 2 a.m. An officer responded to a call of shots fired at the club. He first engaged the shooter outside of the club, with gunfire exchanged. The man ran back inside Pulse, and a hostage situation began.

The shooters was identified by U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-FL, as Omar Mateen, 29, from Port St. Lucie. Mateen is a U.S. citizen, but some of his family members are not. Grayson would not say where the family is from, but several media outlets have reported they are from Afghanistan.

As hospitals in the Orlando area treat those injured in the shooting, OneBlood, the region’s main blood supplier, has also issued an urgent plea for blood donors.

Gov. Rick Scott is reportedly on the way to Orlando.

Photo courtesy of the Orlando Police Department