Mina Justice revealed the messages sent by her son, Eddie, as he hid in the bathroom of Pulse nightclub in Florida. At least 50 people are dead and 53 others are injured, authorities said, making it the worst mass shooting in USA history and the deadliest terror attack on US soil since the events of September 11, 2001.
Advertisement
Mina Justice told reporters outside the Pulse Nightclub that her 30-year-old son, Eddie, was still missing Sunday morning after being held with multiple other club goers in the bar’s women’s restroom.
The text thread was relayed on WFTV, and showed a message from Eddie saying ‘Mommy I love you. Towns said his brother was hiding in a bathroom at the time.
The texts continue with “I’m gonna die” and “he has us”.
Ms Justice told WOFL that her son told her he was being held hostage inside a women’s bathroom and that she was anxious he was going to die. “That was the last conversation”, Justice told The Associated Press.
Mina Justice was outside the Pulse nightclub trying to get in touch with her son Eddie, 30, the Daily Mail reported.
“I’m tell I’m bathroom (sic)”.
At 2:50am, almost 45 minutes after originally texting his mother in fear, Eddie stopped replying.
“Let me no (sic) when u see the police”, she wrote.
“When I got across the street there was blood everywhere”, he said.
When she asked what club, he responded: “Pulse”.
Then, she received a final text message that read, “Yes”.
“Text me please”, she texted.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Danny Banks said during a news conference that the mass shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
With unmistakable heartbreak on her face, Justice said she’d yet to hear anything further from her son as the sun came up over Orlando.
It was not long after the gunman stormed the gay nightclub, killing 50 and injuring another 53.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the gunman used an assault rifle to kill all the victims.
Mina Justice contacted 911 to report the shooting.
Around 5am, authorities sent in a SWAT team to rescue the hostages, and the suspect then died in a gunfight with those officers.
Advertisement
The gunman’s father Mir Seddique told NBC that his son became radicalised after seeing two men kissing in Miami.
