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| 'We're just praying': Friends and family wait for news after Orlando shooting | 'We're just praying': Friends and family wait for news after Orlando shooting |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| People waited outside Orlando hospitals on Sunday, to learn whether their family and friends were victims in the Pulse nightclub attack in Florida, which left 50 people dead and 53 others injured. | People waited outside Orlando hospitals on Sunday, to learn whether their family and friends were victims in the Pulse nightclub attack in Florida, which left 50 people dead and 53 others injured. |
| Related: Florida nightclub shooting: 50 killed and 53 injured in 'act of terror' – latest updates | Related: Florida nightclub shooting: 50 killed and 53 injured in 'act of terror' – latest updates |
| “We’re just praying,” said the brother of one missing man. | “We’re just praying,” said the brother of one missing man. |
| There was little information about the victims of the deadliest shooting in American history as authorities worked to identify those whose bodies remained in the nightclub into Sunday afternoon. | There was little information about the victims of the deadliest shooting in American history as authorities worked to identify those whose bodies remained in the nightclub into Sunday afternoon. |
| Nearly 12 hours after the shooting began, the White House waived certain parts of the national health privacy rule so the hospital could speak with family members. Longtime Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer said he had contacted the White House to request the change. He said all victims in the hospital had been identified. | Nearly 12 hours after the shooting began, the White House waived certain parts of the national health privacy rule so the hospital could speak with family members. Longtime Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer said he had contacted the White House to request the change. He said all victims in the hospital had been identified. |
| Witnesses described being in the club when they heard bangs that sounded like music only to realize it was gunfire as they and people close to them were splattered with blood. Police and citizens said they received calls and texts from people inside the club asking for help. | Witnesses described being in the club when they heard bangs that sounded like music only to realize it was gunfire as they and people close to them were splattered with blood. Police and citizens said they received calls and texts from people inside the club asking for help. |
| Mina Justice told the Associated Press that her 30-year-old son, Eddie, had been in the club when the attack took place. She said he texted her to ask that she call the police, then sent a message that said “he’s coming”. | Mina Justice told the Associated Press that her 30-year-old son, Eddie, had been in the club when the attack took place. She said he texted her to ask that she call the police, then sent a message that said “he’s coming”. |
| His next text said: “He has us, and he’s in here with us,” she said. “That was the last conversation.” | His next text said: “He has us, and he’s in here with us,” she said. “That was the last conversation.” |
| As witnesses continued to be interviewed at Orlando police headquarters, Maria Arocha, 17, told the Guardian her cousin Martin Torres, 33, went to the club with his husband Michael Morales but had not been heard from since. | As witnesses continued to be interviewed at Orlando police headquarters, Maria Arocha, 17, told the Guardian her cousin Martin Torres, 33, went to the club with his husband Michael Morales but had not been heard from since. |
| Morales escaped with a bullet wound to his knee and was recovering in the Orlando regional medical center. But of Torres, Arocha said, there was no word. | Morales escaped with a bullet wound to his knee and was recovering in the Orlando regional medical center. But of Torres, Arocha said, there was no word. |
| “We’re just hoping and praying,” Arocha said. “We’ve been to the hospital trying to find out anything we can, but nobody knows anything. Michael is OK but we’re worried about Martin, of course.” | “We’re just hoping and praying,” Arocha said. “We’ve been to the hospital trying to find out anything we can, but nobody knows anything. Michael is OK but we’re worried about Martin, of course.” |
| Torres was at the club celebrating and had been looking forward to a night out with his husband, excitedly posting about it in a Facebook post, Arocha said. He was not a regular at Pulse, she added. | |
| Brian Vieoma has been texting and calling his brother Luis’s mobile phone since his family learned this morning about the Pulse shooting. He had no reply and now feared the worst. | Brian Vieoma has been texting and calling his brother Luis’s mobile phone since his family learned this morning about the Pulse shooting. He had no reply and now feared the worst. |
| “He came over for Latin Night, Venezuelans love to go dancing,” Vieoma said of his 22-year-old brother. | “He came over for Latin Night, Venezuelans love to go dancing,” Vieoma said of his 22-year-old brother. |
| “We know he was at the club with a female friend, could be a girlfriend, could be a friend, but we don’t know, and we haven’t heard from him. There’s been no answer on his phone.” | “We know he was at the club with a female friend, could be a girlfriend, could be a friend, but we don’t know, and we haven’t heard from him. There’s been no answer on his phone.” |
| Luis Vieoma, who works at Universal Studios’ theme park, was visiting the club from Sanford, a city north of Orlando. His father went to the Orlando Regional Medical Center to search for his son while Brian looked for information at a victim support center set up at a nearby hotel. | Luis Vieoma, who works at Universal Studios’ theme park, was visiting the club from Sanford, a city north of Orlando. His father went to the Orlando Regional Medical Center to search for his son while Brian looked for information at a victim support center set up at a nearby hotel. |
| “My mom is out of the country and it’ll be hard for her,” said Brian, 19. “We’re just praying.” | |
| Related: ‘Everyone get out and keep running': how the Orlando attack unfolded | Related: ‘Everyone get out and keep running': how the Orlando attack unfolded |
| Police directed relatives to a crisis hotline for more information. Facebook activated its Safety Check feature so those in the area could broadcast that they were safe to their family and friends. People also used social media to seek information about their missing friends and family. | Police directed relatives to a crisis hotline for more information. Facebook activated its Safety Check feature so those in the area could broadcast that they were safe to their family and friends. People also used social media to seek information about their missing friends and family. |
| Christine Leinonen cried as she told ABC News that she had been outside the hospital since 4am waiting to hear what had happened to her son, Christopher, who had been at Pulse with his friends. | Christine Leinonen cried as she told ABC News that she had been outside the hospital since 4am waiting to hear what had happened to her son, Christopher, who had been at Pulse with his friends. |
| “They said there’s a lot of dead bodies in the club and that it’s a crime scene ... so it could be hours and hours before we find out,” Leinonen said. | “They said there’s a lot of dead bodies in the club and that it’s a crime scene ... so it could be hours and hours before we find out,” Leinonen said. |
| She said her son’s friend, Brandon, told her he did not know where her son was but had seen Christopher’s boyfriend taken by ambulance from the club with multiple gunshot wounds. | She said her son’s friend, Brandon, told her he did not know where her son was but had seen Christopher’s boyfriend taken by ambulance from the club with multiple gunshot wounds. |
| Leinonen said: “I left him with ‘I love you’.” | Leinonen said: “I left him with ‘I love you’.” |