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Among the 15
hours of videos obtained through a public records request by the
Orlando Sentinel is a scene of officers firing toward gunman
Omar Mateen and one officer yelling: "Come out with your hands
up or you will die."
Portions of the videos were posted on the newspaper's website.
Footage of those who died was not shown.
As police neared the cornered gunman, one officer said a prayer
to himself: "Lord Jesus, watch over me,” the paper reported.
Mateen, a 29-year-old who claimed allegiance to the Islamic
State militant group, opened fire inside Pulse, a gay nightclub,
on June 12, 2016, before he was killed by police after a
three-hour standoff. In addition to those killed, at least 58
people were injured.
The videos released to the newspaper show officers arriving on
the scene, taking weapons out of their vehicles and entering the
club through a shattered window.
People in the club can be seen fleeing, with officers telling
them to keep their hands up and directing them to safety.
A body camera on Orlando policeman Graham Cage shows an officer
leading a victim out of a club bathroom and down a hallway, the
paper said.
"Hands up, both hands, put your hands up," the officer says
off-camera. “Follow the sound of my voice. Come this way."
(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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