Orlando gay nightclub shooting: 50 killed, suspect is Omar Mateen

US media have published a picture of the suspect, Omar Mateen

Fifty people are now known to have died in a shooting in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, the city's mayor Buddy Dyer has said.

Mateen's father said his motives had nothing to do with religion

Orlando police say the life of one of their men was saved by his Kevlar helmet

The gunman, named by officials as Omar Mateen, was killed after taking hostages at the Pulse club. President Barack Obama said Americans were united in grief, outrage and "resolve to defend our people" after "an act of terror and an act of hate".

A DJ in the club at the time of the attack is comforted by a friend

SWAT officers were at the scene of the shooting

The attack is the worst mass shooting in recent US history. Officials said the killings were likely to be ideologically motivated, though there was no information that the gunman was associated with a particular group.

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However, US Congressman Alan Grayson said it was "no coincidence" the attack happened in a gay club.

"It may be we've seen the commission of an awful hate crime," he added. Mateen's father Mir Seddique told NBC News that the incident had nothing to do with religion, and may have been triggered by the sight of a gay couple kissing in Miami.

But NBC News reported that Mateen called the emergency services before the attack and swore allegiance to the so-called Islamic State militant group.

The group later said - via its affiliated Amaq news agency - that an IS "fighter" had carried out the attack.
The claim did not specify whether IS was directly involved or simply taking credit for inspiring the attack.