Deputies detail Pulse nightclub massacre in report

Orange County Sheriff's Office releases 21 pages of first-hand accounts

ORLANDO, Fla. – Eighteen deputies wrote about their involvement in the Pulse nightclub massacre in a 21-page report released over the weekend.

According to the report, 127 deputies arrived at Pulse to assist Orlando Police beginning minutes after Omar Mateen opened fire at 2:02 a.m. Dispatchers sounded a "signal 43" - emergency backup.

[READ: OCSO Pulse shooting incident reports]

"Prior to the arrival of OCSO deputies... we were informed through dispatch an OPD officer was not responding to their radio after calling 'shots fired'!" wrote Deputy Sergio Uribe. "Several OCSO units arrived on scene and they advised over the radio gunfire was still being heard inside the venue."

Deputies established an inner perimeter around Pulse and an outer perimeter.

At one point the inner perimeter was moved "due to possible improvised explosive device." 

"Next I assisted in looking for secondary explosive devices in the club parking lot and surrounding parking lots to the south and west before EOD K-9's arrived," wrote Deputy Terence Lee. "Once the staging point was established at the Ragin Cajun I checked in. Next I responded to ORMC when the shots fired call went out. I assisted in clearing the ambulance entrance, loading docks and surrounding buildings to the south and west of the ER."

Other deputies helped carry the wounded across the street from Pulse to the triage center set up in the parking lot of the Einstein Bros. Bagels.

"I walked to the triage area located behind the Einstein Bagles and observed Deputies and Officers together with EMS personnel working with victims who were arriving at the location with injuries," wrote Deputy Raymond Torrellas. "The scene was chaotic as many of the victims had gunshot wounds and some who had been carried over appeared to be dead. I was tasked... with scene security... and crowd control... as lots of the victims and witnesses were hysterical. I along with other Officers and Deputies with the same task began separating the wounded by categories of levels of injuries to gain control of the scene. Fatally wounded and critical were being placed directly behind the Einstein Bagels and walking wounded were being placed in the follow parking lot to the east of the Einstein Bagels. Many victims were loaded in ambulances and vehicles and were transported to the hospital."

"I observed individuals running out of the club covered in blood with gunshot wounds and many more in the parking lot also with gunshot wounds," wrote Deputy Gustave Pizzarello. "I assisted in carrying these individuals to Orange Avenue and Harding Street where they were loaded into vehicles and taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center."

The 12-member Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) responded to Pulse at 5 a.m.

"I was informed by Lt. Mitch Shaban this incident had been declared a National Special Security Event and should not be discussed outside the law enforcement community," wrote Deputy David Legvold, a member of the CIMT. "The CIMT (Critical Incident Management Team) was tasked to secure a de-briefing location at the Target store, located at 120 W. Grant Street."

Twenty-one deputies entered the club and needed to be de-briefed, according to the report.

Several other law enforcement agencies also responded to the nightclub, including UCF PD, Seminole Co. Sheriff's Office, Winter Park PD, and Belle Isle PD. News 6 contacted all of them. None of them had released their incident reports by the end of the day Monday.

[MORE COVERAGE: Pulse Orlando Shooting]

Orlando Health said as of 6:30 p.m. Saturday:

  • 44 victims have been treated at Orlando Regional Medical Center
  • 9 people have died
  • 27 people have been discharged
  • 8 people remain in the hospital

Surgeons have performed 61 operations on the victims since the incident, Orlando Health said. Three patients were listed in critical condition and 5 patients were in stable condition.

[VIDEO: Funeral held for Pulse shooting victim Darryl Burt]

Stay with News 6 and ClickOrlando.com for continuing coverage.


About the Author:

Erik von Ancken anchors and reports for News 6 and is a two-time Emmy award-winning journalist in the prestigious and coveted "On-Camera Talent" categories for both anchoring and reporting.

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