The chief of the Orlando police department is lauding his staff's response to the horrific shooting.
"On the darkest day of my 25 years at the Orlando Police Department, I wanted to take a moment to tell all of you how proud I am of the work you have done today and will do over the next days and weeks," Orlando Police Chief John Mina said in an email released by the department Sunday.
"Even before the first patrol units arrived on the scene, an OPD officer working extra duty at the club engaged the gunman as he opened fire. Our First Responders and SWAT Team faced a hail of gunfire as they rescued the hostages, and we are blessed beyond words that none of them were gravely injured or killed," he wrote.
Mina said Monday that SWAT officers decided to enter the club while the gunman was holding hostages inside and indicated that further loss of life was "imminent."
Eleven Orlando Police Department officers and three Orange County sheriff's deputies exchanged fire with the gunman, Omar Mateen, authorities have said. One officer was injured when he was shot in the head — but a helmet he was wearing likely saved his life.
"I know that you have all been affected today by the tragic actions of a lone terrorist who cut short the lives of so many. Our community, our City, and our Department will be grieving in the days, weeks and months to come," Mina said in his letter. "But on a day like today — and every day — I couldn't be more proud to be your Chief."
***An American-born man who'd pledged allegiance to ISIS gunned down 49 people early Sunday at a gay nightclub in Orlando, the deadliest mass shooting in the United States and the nation's worst terror attack since 9/11, authorities said.
* The gunman, Omar Mateen, 29, of Fort Pierce, Florida, was interviewed by the FBI in 2013 and 2014 but was not found to be a threat, the FBI said.
* Mateen called 911 during the attack to pledge allegiance to ISIS and mentioned the Boston Marathon bombers, according to a U.S. official.
* Orlando police shot and killed Mateen.
Mateen carried an assault rifle and a pistol into the packed Pulse club about 2 a.m. Sunday and started shooting, killing 49 people and wounding at least 53, officials said.
After a standoff of about three hours, while people trapped inside the club desperately called and messaged friends and relatives, police crashed into the building with an armored vehicle and stun grenades and killed Mateen.
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