FBI releases transcripts of talks between gunman, police
06/20/2016 8:55 am PDT
via WKMG:
ORLANDO, Fla. -- (WKMG/AP) -- Federal investigators released information as to what was happening inside the Pulse nightclub after a gunman started a deadly assault that was the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
A printed, partial transcript of the conversations between the gunman Omar Mateen within the Pulse gay nightclub and Orlando police negotiators was released on Monday morning.
The audio of the 911 calls will not be released, according to the FBI. Five hundred interviews, 117 vehicles released and 600 pieces of evidence have been analyzed since the shooting, according to the FBI. Thousands of tips have been called in.
The timeline, which was crafted with radio transmissions and 911 calls, shows officers in the club within minutes and that they engaged gunman with gunfire, police said.
Orlando police said the department transmitted a shots fired call at Pulse at 2:02 a.m. and at 2:04 a.m., additional OPD units arrived. At 2:08 a.m. officers engaged the shooter and at 2:18 a.m., an OPD SWAT call out was initiated.
At 2:35 a.m., the shooter contacted 911 and had a 50 second call where the FBI described him as "chilling and calm" and speaking in a deliberate manner.
The gunman engaged in three additional conversations with OPD negotiators at 2:48 a.m., 3:03 a.m. and 3:24 a.m.
The FBI said the gunman told them in a call that he had an explosive device but no devices were found in his vehicle or inside of Pulse. Police said that gunman told the OPD negotiator "you already know what I did," and said he had a vest like the kind "they used in France."
According to the transmissions, at 4:21 a.m., OPD pulled an air conditioning unit out of a Pulse dressing room window for victims to evacuate.
At 5:02 a.m. OPD SWAT and Orange County Sheriff's Office began to breach the wall with an explosive charge and armored vehicle to make entry.
At 5:14 a.m. OPD radio communication stated the shots were fired and at 5:15 a.m., the suspect was reported down.
Orlando police said there were no reports of shots being fired inside of Pulse between the initial exchange of gunfire between responding officers and the shooter, and at the time of the final breach.
FULL STORY: FBI releases transcripts of talks between gunman, police - WKMG