On June 12, 130 Orange County sheriff’s deputies flooded the area around Pulse nightclub on Orange Avenue, initially believing they were responding to an emergency back up call.
- Orange County Sheriff's Office released reports from deputies at Pulse attack
- Reports document how deputies saw the attack
- Police camera video could be released in a few weeks
On Monday, the deputies' responses to what became the worst mass shooting in modern history were made public.
At 2:04 a.m., Deputy Gustavo Pizzarello arrived and said, “Upon approaching the club I heard multiple gunshots coming from inside the club.”
Not knowing what was going on, Deputy Pizzarello, along with dozens of other law enforcement agents, pushed forward toward Pulse.
“(I) observed individuals running out of the club covered in blood,” Deputy Pizzarello said in his report.
Throughout the 17 reports from many of the first responding deputies, one thing was clear: it was a horrific, chaotic scene.
“Some who had been carried over appeared to be dead,” Deputy Raymond Torrellas explained in his report.
Despite the chaos, 21 deputies pressed ahead toward Pulse, carrying the wounded out from inside and around the club to safe medical zones set up nearby.
Deputy Mark Rutoski said he remembers, “evacuating victims out of the night club’s entrance.” He recalled helping to get victims out of the bathrooms and dressing rooms while the shooter was still inside.
Many, like Deputy Kyle Ramsey, recall helping the wounded: “Assisted an OPD officer with carrying a…Hispanic male” away from the club to find help.
Some like Deputy Susan D’Alessandro used a fingerprint reader to identify those both dead and alive.
We were told there is some body camera footage from that night that will be made available in the next few weeks.
Right now different news organizations are currently suing the city of Orlando, demanding the 911 calls from that night to be released.