this is a special edition of "nightline." nightclub massacre, terror in orlando. >> reporter: good evening from orlando. the focal point of a nation reeling from the carnage that took place at the pulse nightclub. new cell phone video of the moment the dance floor turned into a killing field. harrowing escapes and heroic acts, and we were there as one survivor was reunited with her angel, the man who blocked a bullet for her. >> at that moment in that room, it wasn't a typical shooting. it was hate. it was going -- boom, boom, boom, boom, nonstop. >> reporter: were people screaming? >> it was chaos. it felt like a war zone. there's bullets flying all over the place and people just want to protect themselves and run,

and you're hearing the moans of people. >> reporter: where are you thinking about where she is and how to get to her? >> i was scared. i was scared. i don't like to think about it. >> reporter: fear and heart ache weigh heavy in the orlando night. outside the hospital, she waits on an update on her friend, angel. >> it's hard knowing i'm not dead because of him. that bullet was supposed to be on my back. >> that was angel. he's my angel. >> these are the harrowing stories of survival and courage after the deadliest mass shooting in american history. >> all i could think about was how near death was. i saw bodies going down. >> people were running. i got stepped on a couple of times. i didn't care. i was still alive. >> reporter: 49 victims dead. 53 injured at a gay nightclub in orlan

orlando. tonight a nation in mourning over lives lost. >> reporter: when you saw your friend's name on your phone, what went through your mind? >> i thought that could have been me. that should have been me. but i'm here today for a reason. >> reporter: tonight we're learning more about the innocent victims in sunday's horrific attack. this photo of jeff rodriguez taken 30 minutes before. when the terror began, he texted his brother. >> he states here i've been shot at a club. i'm dying. i love you. dead bodies on top of me. tell everyone i love them. >> reporter: in fact, he was shot three times when the gunman stormed into a bathroom where he and so many were hiding. one of his last text messages was this image from inside the bathroom. tonight we've blurred the faces of the other victims. >> some of them were actually hiding underneath the dead bodies. >> reporter: but his brother survived. tonight this new image of jeff

now lying in a hospital bed alive, thanks to a friend who held pressure to his wounds to stop the bleeding. >> have you talked to your brother? >> he knows that you're there. he can hear you. but he can't say anything to you. >> reporter: and tonight, more details about what happened inside the pulse nightclub. 29-year-old omar mateen, a self-proclaimed isis supporter armed with a 223 caliber ar type rifle and a nine millimeter handgun is about to unleash terror. it's just after 2:00 a.m. latin night. 320 packed into the crowded nightclub. near an entrance, mateen starts to fire. an off duty prifr responds. then a shootout, and mateen moves deeper inside the club to the dance floor. amanda alvear is inside. her brother shows us this snap chat video.

and then gunshots over the music. >> i don't know if my sister suffered. i know she was scared. >> reporter: he becomes one of victims. one of the three d.j.s on duty that night. >> it started with hearing pops. that's why i turned the music off. that's when everybody started running. >> reporter: some patrons running to the bathrooms where as many as 20 people huddled together fearing for their lives. mateen enters, taking four or five hostages. >> reporter: one survivor playing dead as he recalls. >> i was uncomfortably wedged between my shoulders up against the back wall. my face and forehead up against the toilet boil. >> reporter: at 2:30 a.m., he calls 9-1-1, hanging up twice before a dispatcher calls him back. he then pledges his allegiance to isis. >> he was telling them stop bombing isis. >> stop bombing isis in syria.

>> reporter: the bomb squad and hazmat teams arrive around 3:00 a.m. as hostage negotiators try to talk the gunman down. >> we're being told possibly up to 15 remaining in the club. >> reporter: just after 5:00 a.m. police have controlled explosives to distract mateen. they then plow into the wall, puncturing holes that became escape patches for those hiding inside, and then bullets in the night. >> they're shooting back and forth. >> and we have shots fired on scene. opd is requesting you to stay back. >> reporter: the gunfire ending with mateen shot dead. one officer shot in the head saved only by his helmet. 30 hostages freed. at the end of that terrifying three hour standoff, the enormity of the heart break just beginning to set in.

>> we now have a large mci unit, 250 persons. >> they can't identify anybody. >> reporter: this woman says her son christopher was at the club. >> i called him last night at 6:00. and i left him with i love you, chris. >> reporter: those would be the last words she would share with her son. he became one of the too many victims in sunday's tragic massacre. the innocent faces now known to be among the deceased. 23-year-old stanny al mode var. and kimberly morris killed on duty working saturday night as a security guard at pulse. but amid all the horror, there are stories of heros. >> i noticed somebody stumbling, covered in blood. i crept up to him, pulled him over to me and he clearly was shot. >> reporter: he took the shirt

off his back to tie a tuornakit. josh telling us today, that man is now stable in the hospital. >> everything is still fresh. it's going to take more than a day or two or a week. >> reporter: hours ago we caught up with jennette has she headed to the hospital to visit angel, the man who talk a bullet instead of her. >> there's so much i want to say, and i want to apologize. >> reporter: why do you want to apologize? you have nothing to apologize for. he knows that. >> i don't know. what if i would have let him walk off. i grabbed him and i was dancing with him, and what if -- i don't know, there's always the what if. i've been thinking a lot of this. >> reporter: emotions running high. we drive her to the hospital to be reunited with angel. >> here we go. >> reporter: the pair walk in. >> at this point they've been

inside the hospital for two hours. i can't imagine how emotional this reunion must be. >> reporter: a short time later they come out. >> i'm happy now. >> reporter: relieved he's going to be okay, but his suffering was far greater than she realized. >> he had three gunshot wounds to his leg. he had a broken left leg, and what happened was he was shot initially. he fell to the ground and he was trampled, and then he got shot in the back. the gunman went to the other rooms and shot. now there's a bunch of bodies all over the floor around him, and the gunman came back and he was shooting everybody on the floor, and he shot him in his back. he was coming and shooting again to make sure they were dead. >> reporter: he had to pretend. >> he had to pretend he was -- >> reporter: dead. >> yes. he prayed and he said he doesn't know how he wasn't shot in the head. >> i was so excited. i had to take a photo. >> reporter: he looks amazing.

that smile a glimmer of hope, so much needed after that night of terror and hate. >> that moment he saw me, he had that smile. i hugged him. >> reporter: how did that hug feel? >> it felt amazing. it made me cry, and i told him how much i love him and he stuck with me. that's it. >> reporter: up next, we delve into the investigation into the gunman's troubled past. a surpri. it's red lobster's new lobster and shrimp summerfest! with the lobster and shrimp... ...you love in so many new dishes, you're gonna wanna try... ...every last one. like the new coastal lobster & shrimp. with a wood-grilled lobster tail, ...wild-caught red shrimp crusted with panko, ...and shrimp fresh off the grill and brushed with... ...summer ale bbq sauce. or try the new lobster & shrimp overboard, ...because when a dish can wow you like this, ...overboard's the only way to describe it. but hurry, this ends soon. what backache? what sore wrist? what headache?

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omar mateen appeared to live a normal life.

an abusive husband proned to hateful outbursts and then there are the multiple inquiries by the fbi for possible links to terror. abc news goes inside the investigation. >> reporter: today in fort pierce, florida, after fbi agents left the apartment, a first look at how he lived prior to unleashing terror at the crowded nightclub in orlando. this video provided to abc news by a tv crew. the reporter describing the messy aftermath of the fbi raid. otherwise, a portrait of a normal life. family photos on the dining room table and walls. on the kitchen counter, an expired florida firearms license, and the room of the three-year-old son filled with toys. no sign of devotion to isis he professed on sunday. but law enforcement now in possession of the shooter's phone is hoping it holds new clues to what might have

motivated the deadly rampage that killed 49 and injured more than 50. in. >> there are strong indications of radicalization by this killer and of potential inspiration by foreign terrorist organizations. >> reporter: the shooter omar mateen dialled 9-1-1 twice during his siege pledging allegiance to isis and solidarity with an american suicide bomber. >> it's not clear what terrorist group he aspired to support. >> reporter: while investigators pore over the details, they're answering tough questions about a man who seem to have slipped through the cracks. he was born in new york and attended high school in florida. he worked as a security guard when he first caught the attention of the fbi. >> he made some statements that were inflammatory and contradictory that concerned his co-workers about terrorism.

>> reporter: one co-worker recalled him as a man with many hatreds zblc hatreds. >> black people, women, he did not like jews. he did not like hispanics. for did he like gay or lesbian people. >> reporter: the fbi placed him under surveillance, even introduced him to confidential sources and recorded their conversations. but because the fbi investigation found no evidence of any ties to terrorism, there were no criminal charges and he was allowed to walk into this gun store three times over the past ten days to buy firearms. >> did that concern you? >> i don't know enough to say whether i'm concerned or not. >> reporter: atf was at the gun store today where he legally bought a handgun and assault rifle, the weapons he used in the deadliest of recent mass shootings. >> reporter: would you have liked to know the fbi was investigating him.

>> it would have been fantastic. he wouldn't have gotten a gun. >> reporter: today mateen's father said no one was more surprised than him. >> i wish i did know that what he was doing. if i did catch him, i would arrest him myself. >> reporter: but mateen's ex-wife paints a disturbing portrait of a man unhinged, violent. >> this was a sick person. this was a sick person that was really confused. and went crazy. >> reporter: she says she hasn't spoken to mateen in seven years sold abc news when she were married he regularly beat her and had deep hatred toward gays. >> he would express his anger toward a certain culture. >> reporter: his current wife is reportedly now cooperating with the fbi and has told them mateen may have scouted a number of locations for his attack, including disney properties in

orlando. disney, the parent company of abc, would not confirm the report but said it's been increasing security measures for some time in what it calls a world of uncertainty. uncertainty reinforced by the fact that the fbi is currently watching about 8 00 isis sympathizers here in the u.s., trying to figure out which ones might go on a murderous rampage. >> we're looking for needles in a nationwide hay stack. we're also called upon to know what hay stack might become needles. >> reporter: should they tracked his movements? >> so far the answer is i don't think so. i don't see anything our agents should have done differently. >> reporter: the director would not address why those were not or could not be told their former suspect was buying an arsenal of weapons.

the president voicing frustrations. >> the fact that we make it this challenging for law enforcement, for example, even to get alerted that somebody who they are watching has purchased a gun and if they do get alerted, sometimes it's hard for them to stop them from getting a gun, is crazy. it's a problem. >> reporter: even as the body count continues to rise from mass shootings, no con sis answer the on what to do. >> up next, the poignant response to a hateful crime. ♪ ♪

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♪ it's become a far too familiar scene, a pulse shooting vigil marked with tears and a collective grief, but this shooting was a blatant attack on the lgbt community.

a musical tribute calling for pride and for healing. ♪ >> reporter: there has always been magic in music. we can hear the healing power today from london's gay men's chorus. all across the globe, israel, paris, signs of both healing and solidarity. at d.c.'s dupont circle, solidarity in the form of sacrifice at donors flooded a blood drive. >> it's a terrible tragedy. it's the least i could do. >> reporter: it was tragedy in the triumph born from it that first made new york stone wall the monument to america's gay rights movement and a gathering place again tonight. but mass murder inside a gay club in orlando reminds us all that community is still not safe. there remain dark corners where dignity is denied. the hash tag gays break the

internet took off. inspiring some to come out to the world. like this young woman, a muslim and a less yen, the rumors are true. i exist. >> i hope you know that myself and so many are your allies. [ applause ] ♪ we shall overcome >> reporter: and from the gay men's chorus in washington, reassurance, we do overcome. terror can wound, but it can never win. ♪ some day >> our thanks to byron for that report. as we say good night from orlando, a community still very much many mourning but coming together now perhaps stronger than ever. tune in to good morning america tomorrow for the latest on the investigation, and as always, we're online >> you know, there's nothing

more exciting than the day you head off to college-- unless it's the day you win a million dollars in front of a national audience. today, we've got some soon-to-be college freshmen with us who are hoping to do just that. it's "off to college week" on "who wants to be a millionaire." [cheers and applause] [dramatic music] ♪ hey, everybody. welcome to the show. are you guys ready to play a very special "millionaire" today? [cheers and applause] good, because today's first contestant was the valedictorian of her graduating class of 500 students, almost got a perfect 2400 on her sats, and got perfect scores on five advanced placement exams. show-off. before--and this is all before she heads off to cornell university. she plans on taking one more test today, and this is for a million dollars. from liverpool, new york, please welcome susie lu. [cheers and applause]

susie, welcome. how you doing? >> nice to meet you. >> well, thank you for making me realize quickly what an underachiever i was as a student. >> [laughs] it's not much. i mean--eh. >> so, out of all the accolades--the sats, the advanced placement, getting into cornell, all the-- like, what do you really think about the most? like, what meant the most to you? >> well, honestly, it's being able to live up to my parents' dreams and show people that didn't believe in me that i could do this, and just accomplish something, make my parents proud, make-- >> you truly are the american dream. >> yeah. >> that's what this country's all about. what a great story. i'm glad you're here. this is a great week as you head off to college, and i think you're gonna do fantastic-- >> thanks. >> on this test, as you have on every test you've ever taken in your life. let me tell you what you're up against in this one, though. 14 questions, the money values growing from $500 all the way up to $1 million. [cheers and applause] every question you answer

correctly moves you one step closer to that top prize. remember, at any time, if you want to walk away with the money you've earned up to that point, you can do so. if you give me an incorrect answer, you'll walk away with nothing until you get to those thresholds, and there's two of them--one at $5,000, then again at $50,000. you also have your lifelines. you have the audience--they're here to help you out with one of your questions. "50/50," we take away two incorrect answers, and there's also a "plus one." but wait-- there's more. today, we've added a special fourth lifeline just for you called "extra help." so, if you need a little helping hand with a question, you've already used your "plus one," no problem--you can then call upon your "extra help." what two folks are joining you today for your "extra help" and "plus one"? >> well, i brought my friends rachel and josh, and they're heading off to college, same time as me. >> well, it's good to have both of you here. [cheers and applause] so, essentially, you have four lifelines to use. are you ready to go? >> i'm ready.

>> let's kick it off. "off to college week." let's play "who wants to be a millionaire." [cheers and applause] [dramatic musical flourish] all right, susie, it all starts with your $500 question, and it's right here. one way to tell the difference between a monkey and an ape is that a monkey typically has what? >> an agent? really? okay, so, i'm gonna go with b, a tail, final answer. >> in hollywood, they all do have agents, but you're right. a tail. [cheers and applause] $500. the second question is worth $1,000, and here it is: according to "seventeen" magazine, adding what powdered drink mix to vaseline creates a lasting red lip stain? >> cherry kool-aid. that's reddish, pinkish, so c, cherry kool-aid,

final answer. >> yeah. who knew. lipstick made out of cherry kool-aid. [cheers and applause] end up just licking your lips all day. >> mmm. love it. >> $1,000. here's your $2,000 question: "live by the hook" and "when your feet don't touch the ground" are two of the songs featured in what 2015 broadway musical? >> ugh. i'm not quite sure about this one. >> okay, well, you do have all of your lifelines. >> mm-hmm. i think i'm gonna ask the audience. >> okay. >> final answer. >> all right, audience, susie could use a little help, so please pick up those keypads and enter your vote now. [percussive music] ♪ all right, susie, the audience has given their votes, and they have said--at least 79% of them--it's "a," "finding neverland." >> so, yeah.

i'm gonna go with "a," "finding neverland," final answer. >> "living by the hook." captain hook. that's right. >> oh! whoo! >> $2,000. >> thank you! >> next question is worth $3,000. this is it: in 2015, president obama announced a proposal to make the first two years of what free for "those willing to work for it"? >> netflix subscriptions? so, it's not that. i--you--it's definitely not that. i'm gonna go with "a," community college, final answer. >> and you are exactly right. [cheers and applause] that's right. susie, $3,000. >> not bad. >> and better news: the next stop is $5,000, but it's also that first threshold we talked about--your first safety net you can get to. >> yes. >> so let's get there. $5,000 question:

which of the following one-syllable words can you turn into a three-syllable word by adding a single vowel to the end? >> okay, "willa," "ama," "isa," "aria"-- "aria" is kind of-- could be a word, so maybe. oh, gosh. i think i'm gonna go with d, "are," final answer. susie, you got it. that's right. [cheers and applause] well done. you add an "a," it becomes "area" >> oh! [inaudible]. that's the word. >> all right. susie is heading off to cornell university, and now she has at least $5,000 to take with her, but we're gonna try and give her more money as she heads off

to college. we'll be right back.