ORLANDO, Fla. — It has been four years since one of the most deadly mass shootings on American soil took place in Orlando.
At 02:09 on June 12, 2016, Pulse Nightclub posted on its Facebook page telling everyone to evacuate.
Omar Mateen had forced his way inside the club with an AR-15-type assault rifle and a handgun and opened fire on the predominantly gay crowd.
The nearly 300 people inside were winding down their Latin-themed night of dancing. When the first shots rang out, many described not noticing, thinking the bangs were part of the songs, until people started to fall the floor and others ran in terror.
During the attack, Mateen called 911 to pledge allegiance to ISIS. At about 5 a.m., the police used explosives to create a hole through the wall into the bathroom and then shot and killed the Mateen.
In the end, 49 people were dead and dozens more injured. It was the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. until one year later, when 58 people were murdered at a Las Vegas country music concert.
