we'll bring you tonight's good morning, everyone. i'm betty nguyen. welcome to a special edition of "early today." the names of the victims in the orlando nightclub massacre are slowly being released this morning. it is the worst case of terror on american soilince september 11th. the deadliest mass shooting in our nation's history took place early sunday. omar mateen opened fire and took hostages. when it was over, 50 were killed and 53 injured. nbc news has learned from law enforcement sources mateen pledged his allegiance to the leader of isis just before launching his attack. our gabe gutierrez has more. >> oh, my god. people are getting shot, dude.

>> oh, my god, dude. >> that guy is firing you have shots. >> reporter: at 2:02 a.m., gunfire tears through the music at the club packed with more than 300 people. >> i thought i was going to die. like, i didn't know if i was going to come out alive. >> reporter: at 2:09, the club posted a chilling message on facebook. everyone get out of pulse and keep running. a uniformed police officer working security confronts the shooter, now identified as omar mateen, who retreats further into the club, takes hostages. a witness text his mother that he's taking cover in the restroom but fear the gunman will soon come inside. at 3:00 a.m., bomb squad and hazmat crews called to the scene. >> i have a ballistic vest for any of our individuals entering the red zone. >> reporter: a massive police response as negotiators try to make contact. for the next three hours, frantic confusion. this woman desperately waits to hear from her son. >> i don't know if he's still

and he's dead or if he's being worked on here at the hospital. >> reporter: so many injured, first responders run out of ambulances, forced to transport some of the wounded in police pickup trucks. christopher hanson in the middle of the carnage. >> everybody was doing their thing, dancing, drinking, and then you hear just bang, bang, bang. it's continuous. at first it sounded like the music. then after that, you just -- i looked over and i saw bodies falling, people screaming. >> reporter: around 5:00 a.m., police used a controlled explosion to distract the gunman. authorities plow into the club with an armored vehicle. a s.w.a.t. team rushing in to rescue hostages, killing the gunman in a fire fight. one officer injured, shot in the head, but saved by his kevlar helmet. the scale of the horrifying scene growing by the minute. initial reports estimate about 20 people are killed, but by

midmorning comes this stunning announcement. >> we have cleared the building, and it is with great sadness that i share we have not 20 but 50 casualties. >> reporter: the deadliest mass shooting ever in the u.s. >> they were beautiful people, and they didn't deserve that. >> reporter: and what the mayor of orlando is calling the city's darkest day. >> fbi agents had descended on to the shooter's home in ft. pierce, florida, some 120 miles away from the pulse nightclub shooting. meanwhile, friends and family stand by for word on their loved ones. nbc's blake mccoy joins us from outside the pulse nightclub. what's the latest there? >> reporter: well, it's been 24 hours, betty, since that horrific scene unfolded here in orlando. 50 people killed, 53 injured in that nightclub mibehind me. as you can see, law enforcement still working at this hour to process this scene and piece together this investigation. this work is being done as we are beginning to put together a portrait of the shooter, omar

a coworker paints him as a person who had a lot of derogatory feelings towards people of different races, people of different sexual orientation, women, saying in particular that he did not respect women at all. that's backed up by his ex-wife, who we're hearing from this morning, saying she was abused by him in their short four-month marriage. take a listen. >> a few months after we were married, i saw his instability, and i saw that he was spiteful and would get mad out of nowhere. that's when i started worrying about my safety. after a few months, he started abusing me physically. he was mentally unstable and mentally ill. that's the only explanation i could give. he was obviously disturbed. >> reporter: she says her family actually had to come from out of town to rescue her from that situation. she left all her belongings behind in order to get away from mateen. now, we are hearing from mateen's place of employment. he works f

private security company. that company says he's been employed by them for about nine years and was a guard at a retirement facility there. they say they were aware of an fbi background check in 2013 but did not realize the fbi was actually questioning mateen with regards to possible ties to terrorism. they say they did not know that happened. there were two fbi investigations that he was ultimately cleared from. betty? >> blake, thank you so much for that. and we are starting to learn more about the victims. the city of orlando is posting online the names of those identified and whose next of kin have been contacted. right now over a dozen of the victims have been confirmed. one is 31-year-old eddy justice. before he was positively identified, his mother shared texts the pair sent as the shooting happened. >> he text me at 2:06 and said, mommy, i love you. in the club, they're shooting. that was at 2:06.

downtown, please call police. i'm going to die. call them, mama, now. i'm in the bathroom. he's coming. i'm going to die. >> just chilling. in addition to those killed, 53 are still recovering from their injuries, many in serious condition. nbc's sarah dallof is live. what's the latest on the injured? >> reporter: this hospital is just blocked from where the shooting took place and as a result was one of the first places where the injured were brought and one of the first places family and friends have been stopping to see if they can identify and track down their loved ones. unfortunately for some of these people, the news has been the absolute worst that you can imagine. andrew allman lost five friends in the massacre. >> they were beautiful people, and they didn't deserve that

all. and i pray that when they go to heaven that they see everybody that cares for them. >> reporter: and family and friends are beginning to identify publicly those killed. we're beginning to get photos, personal stories of the lives lost. betty, you mentioned that website that's been set up to list those who were killed after their next of kin has been identified. that list up to 15 right now. the oldest on it, 50, the youngest just 21. back to you. >> going to be a tough day. especially seeing those names and the faces. okay. thank you, sarah. we appreciate that. nbc meteorologist bill karins is here with a look at today's forecast. >> morning, betty. 4 million people at risk of severe weather, mostly in the high plains. anywhere from denver on 70, also into 80 in areas of nebraska and kansas. the other story is the heat continues from st. louis to the deep south.

that's your national weather. here's a closer look at your day ahead. so some areas of the country are still going to be very hot. we have cooled it off in areas near indiana, ohio, pennsylvania, virginia, through maryland. still very hot in areas around charlotte. up to 92 today. that's your monday forecast. >> all right, bill. thank you so much. we do have much more ahead on this special edition of "early today," including an outpouring of support for the lgbt community. which you are you? be the you who doesn't cover your moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. be the you who shows up in that dress. who hugs a friend. who is done with treatments that don't give you clearer skin. be the you who controls your psoriasis with stelara® just 4 doses a year after 2 starter doses. stelara® may lower your ability to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections and cancer. some serious infections require hospitalization. before treatment, get tested for tuberculosis. before starting stelara® tell your doctor if you think you have an infection or have symptoms such as: fever, sweats, chills, muscle aches or cough. always tell your doctor if you have any signs of infection,

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before earning 1% cash back everywhere, every time. 2% back at grocery stores and now at wholesale clubs. and 3% back on gas. kenny used his bankamericard cash rewards credit card to join the wednesday night league. because he loves to play hoops. not jump through them. that's the excitement of rewarding connections. apply online or at a bank of america near you. ♪ o' say can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ the gay men's chorus of washington, d.c. sang the national anthem on the steps of the u.s. capitol as a tribute to the orlando victim. just one of many tributes held as the lgbt community stood together in the face of what president obama called an act of hate. others attende

gay pride parades in los angeles and boston to the gates of the white house and the streets of chicago, all in solidarity with those killed. i'm joined now by the managing editor of nbcout.com and jonathan lovitz, an orlando native who's been to the pulse nightclub a number of times. i want to talk to you about that, jonathan. since you've been there, help us understand the layout and how so many were just unable to escape. >> it's a large room with quite a few parallel rooms all around it. there's different music playing and different sets of lights in every room. you never quite know where you are, where you might be going into at any different time. you move very freely through the space. it's not inkov sooconceivable t loud noise in one room might sound like the speakers. in this case, the kind of ch

a reaction to something unexpected happening in a room. there's no way to feed that information through a big crowd. it's also quite dark. it's a standalone building. if you're not oriented when you get in there, you may not know the best way out. it's terrifying to think of the friends that i know who go regularly. i was in touch with several good friends of mine who thankfully were out of town because it was both boston and washington, d.c., pride. otherwise, they would have been there, as many would have been, as i probably would have been if i was home. it's a terrifying time, but it's also an unbelievable moment to see so many people coming together. orlando is an incredibly diverse place, and people are coming together across all communities and really having each other's back in a way we haven't seen in a long time. >> you saw that a little bit last night. tell us about the stolewall inn. >> stonewall has long been a place where people in the community will gather, whether something great has happened, like the passage of marriage equality, or something tragic like this. there was

i would say several hundred people there yesterday. they gathered at 6:00 for the vigil, stayed several hours. i would say the mix of emotion was -- there was love and support but also a lot of anger. anger at the shooter, anger at rhetoric we've heard from politicians and anti-lgbt religious leaders. several people who spoke brought that up. i would say there was a real mix of emotions. >> very raw. >> very raw, also a lot of support. >> well, you know, let's get to this because the community itself is going through so much. how much psychological and emotional damage does something like this inflict upon the community? >> it could be quite a lot, but i think we're seeing just the opposite. the fact that this is happening during pride month is only further demonstrating the resiliency of the community. you are seeing lgbt people from across the country, now across the world, banding together with allies, saying we're not going to stand for this.

many other communities, and we've come too far. but it also reminds us that just as we're coming up on the one-year celebration of marriage equality, a law on paper doesn't make you anymore equal or human in the eyes of those who want to see harm come to you. so we still have so much more work to do, but i think as we go into pride season and we take the names of someone who's been lost or someone who's been touched by this in our hearts, written down and taken in our pockets, that we celebrate harder. we march harder. we fight harder. we be louder. we do everything we can to live as loud and as out as possible to prove that this won't shake us. >> you agree that's the impact this is going to have on pride month? >> i think so. i'm hearing from a lot of folks, including long-time actist mark siegel, who penned an op-ed saying we cannot stay silent. it's a more important time than ever to be loud, to be proud, to participate in

this month. i'm hearing that from a lot of people in the community, that we can't stay silent, we can't stay away from our spaces. i'm hearing a lot of that. >> all right. well, thank you, brooke and jonathan. we appreciate your insight this morning. the terror attack has caused a major shift across the political spectrum that includes the president and the candidates. we have details on that next. we're in the middle of potty-training. which means that most nights, this is the potty. these robot sheets, they needed more than detergent could handle. they needed a rescue. otherwise, we might have had to say bye-bye to our favorite robots ya. so we added tide rescue to the wash. it cleans super deep down where detergent just doesn't. daddy, i've got to go potty! progress! go, go, go! eww stinky. introducing tide rescue. eliminates tough odors at the source. find it in the stain remover aisle.

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this morning on "today," matt lauer is live in orlando with first-person accounts of the massacre and the latest details on the investigation into the shooter. while orlando mourns and searches for answers, as does the country and its political leaders. a clearly shaken president obama yesterday stood before the nation to call the nightclub attack both an act of terror and one of hate. hillary clinton then called for stronger gun reforms while donald trump slammed president obama and reiterated his call for a temporary muslim ban. nbc's kelly o'donnell has more on what's ahead today. >> reporter: good morning, betty. as the new week begins, the white house says the president will have an in-person briefing today from fbi director james comey. homeland security secretary jeh johnson and a top justice department official. vice president biden skipped a planned campaign event in florida to come back to washington, d.c. he'll be in that meeting as well. president obama is also changing his plans to campaign f

he would have made his first joint appearance on the campaign trail with clinton, but that has been postponed. instead, hillary clinton will keep to her schedule today, going to ohio. she'll give a speech in cleveland, which will now be tailored to respond to the events in orlando, discussing terrorism, gun reform, and expressing her concern for the lgbt community. donald trump is also making some changes to his plans, cancelling a rally for new hampshire but still going to the state, where he, too, will deliver a speech, changing his topic as well and advisers say he will talk about terrorism and talk about what he believes is weak leadership and a different approach to deal with domestic terrorism and how the country should respond in the wake of the orlando attack. there are changes to the campaign trail, some acknowledging that there is a pause in politics, and others like trump already critical of both president obama and hillary clinton. the campaign trail will be

officials working in washington as congress comes back to town as well. betty? >> kelly, thank you so much for that. and just ahead, dedications from around the country, including a stanley cup moment. and broadway's best dedicates the tony awards to the victims of the orlando massacre. . but with nexgard, their flea and tick killer doesn't have to be. nexgard, the vet's #1 choice for dogs, is a delicious, beef-flavored chew that kills both fleas and ticks. so it's easy to give, easy to take. reported side effects include vomiting, itching, diarrhea, lethargy and lack of appetite. use with caution in dogs with a history of seizures. why mess around? for powerful flea and tick protection, ask your vet about nexgard. the #1 choice of vets for their dogs and yours. working on my feet all day gave min my knees. but now, i step on this machine and get my number which matches my dr. scholl's custom fit orthotic inserts. now i get immediate relief from my foot pain. my knee pain.

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are you ready to take the gel envy challenge? revlon colorstay gel envy with diamond top coat. we challenged the leading competitor and look how they cracked under pressure. try it for yourself. satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. take the revlon gel envy challenge today. the fbi is investigating a man detained in santa monica on

who said he planned to attend the l.a. pride festival. james wesley howell was arrested on a suspicious person call sunday morning. officers found several assault-style rifles, high-capacity magazines, and chemicals used to make explosives in his car. tactical gear and a security badge were also found, according to multiple law enforcement sources. officials don't believe there's a connection between howell and the orlando nightclub shooter. at last night's tony awards, they were dedicated to those affected by the orlando tragedy. >> our hearts go out to all of those affected by this atrocity. all we can say is you are not on your own right now. your tragedy is our tragedy. theater is a place where every race, creed, sexuality, and gender is equal, is embraced, and is loved. hate will never win. >> we live through times when hate and fear seem stronger. we rise and fall and light fro

hope and love last longer. and love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love, cannot be killed or swept aside. >>. the nhl held a moment of silence before last night's game six of the stanley cup finals to honor the victims of the shooting. >> the nhl, the san jose sharks, and the pittsburgh penguins ask that you please stand and join in a moment of silent reflection on this tragedy. thank you. >> to the game now, and the pittsburgh penguins are the 2016 stanley cup champions. they beat the sharks 3-1 last night to take the series 4-2. sidney crosby was voted the playoff mvp. i'm betty nguyen. this is "early today." before earning enough cash back from bank of america to buy a new gym bag. before earning 1% cash back everywhere, every time.

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oh, my god. people are getting shot, dude. >> i don't know where my son is. no one can tell me where my son is. if he's been shot, if he's dead. no one knows. >> it's been called a hate crime. domestic terror, the deadliest mass shooting in american history. >> it is with great sadness that i share we have not 20 but 50 casualties. >> 50 killed and more than 50 others wounded and this morning we're learning more about the man behind it all. >> it's been reported that mateen made calls for 911 this morning in which he stated an allegiance to the leader of the islamic state. >> i'm aaron gilchrist in orlando. as the inves

continues, this community is trying to come to terms with a historic loss of life. how they're coping, just ahead. >> i thought i was going to die. >> and this morning, stories ever horror turned heroism continue to unfold as a nation lends its support. ♪ we sohall overcome, we shall overcome ♪ good morning. i'm eun yang. >> and i'm angie goff in for aaron gilchrist who as you saw is on assignment in orlando. >> we'll get to him in just a minute, but first we want to show you the emotional cover of the orlando sentinel which reads our community will heal. we have complete team coverage for you on this tragedy. >> megan mcgrath has the latest on what people in our region are doing to help and aaron

morning with more on the investigation. >> first we want to check in with chuck bell to get an update on our forecast. >> good morning. a police and enough way to get your work and final week of school started. so long to the 90s. both days over the weekend, but a cool dry breeze has set up shop here in washington and we'll stay on the dry side at least for the next couple of days before we are rain chances come in, but you will notice the difference this morning. 24 hour temperature change, we are 10 to 20 degrees cooler now than at the same time yesterday morning. so our hot and humid weekend with 90 degree weather has been replaced by weather which will be sunny and nice for the next couple days. i'll tell you how exactly mild it will be coming up. now jack taylor, good monday morning to you. >> chuck, good morning. as we take a big look at the beltway, inner and outer loop, all travel lanes are open. off to a great start so

zone # 5 north after lorton, we find two left lanes getting by there. work zones on 15, south of leesburg as you head basically in the area south of point of rocks, two work zones. traffic alternating in both directions. 4:29. new developments this morning, 21 of the 50 killed have been identified, still a lot more family and he said friends waiting to hear about their loved ones. >> authorities are now piecing together more information about the shooter. omar mateen. but what they don't know is why. those close to him say seeing a same-sex couple kissing in front of his family recently may have set him off. >> our team coverage this morning continues now with aaron gilchrist in orlando for us with more on what is to can throughout the day. >> reporter: this is the

monday after what was an historic shooting here in orlando. in the day ahead there is at least one large community vigil planned for the evening tonight, but through the day we hope to get more answers from law enforcement about their investigation and what they have been able to uncover about the real motive behind the shooting incident that left 50 dead, another 50 plus people injured in hospitals across orlando. we did stop last night at a few places around town where people were gather. some of the gay night clubs still open for business last night. a lot of the patrons saying that they felt the need to be around other people. they wanted to be together. this is a community that of course is quite sad today, there have been gatherings where people are hugging and crying together, at the same time there isn't effort effort i think to show resilience, to say despite what happened here in the early morning hours of sunday,this community still wants to show that it is strong, orlando strong is a hash tag trending on social media. so this community is trying to show that as they move forw