WARNING: This post contains disturbing content.
One of the victims of the Orlando gay nightclub shooting, in which 49 people were killed, was filming on Snapchat when the shooter began his attack on the club. Amanda Alvear, 25, has been confirmed as one of the fatalities.
The video, which was posted to Facebook by Amanda’s brother Brian Alvear, is largely a standard Snapchat story of the Pulse nightclub – dancing and music – which concludes with a series of gunshots. Many survivors of the attack confirm that the initial gunshots were believed to be part of the music.
The video is the first from inside the venue during the attack – though others captured audio of the gunfire from outside.
Gunfire exchanged at #pulse nightclub hostage situation in #Orlando. pic.twitter.com/qeF0s6Ien6
— Nic Hornstein (@nichornstein) June 12, 2016
Brian Alvear posted a Facebook status alongside the video, which read “People keep asking? Yes this is Amanda, she was creating a snapchat story though the night this is the last time anyone saw her, after this she did receive and answer one call.”
Amanda’s friend Mercedes Flores is also confirmed dead in the attack.
The FBI have confirmed this morning that shooter Omar Mateen did not have any formal links to radical Islamist groups overseas, despite official ISIS news agency Amaq claiming credit for the attacks in their aftermath. Instead, it seems he was radicalised online. This comes after allegations from Mateen’s ex-wife that he was regularly violent and abusive.
She told The Guardian that Mateen showed signs of “emotional instability, sickness … He was mentally unstable and mentally ill [and] obviously disturbed, deeply, and traumatised”.
Both Mateen’s father and his former co-workers have confirmed that he harboured deeply homophobic and racist beliefs, which clearly factored into his decision to attack the LGBT community directly.
If you are interested in paying your respects to the victims in Orlando, we have a list of upcoming vigils being held in Australia.
Source: Daily Mail.
Photo: Facebook.
