ORLANDO — Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said 48 of 49 victims slain in the mass shooting inside the Pulse nightclub were identified by Monday morning.
The city has released the names of 33 victims after notifying next of kin.
"On this very difficult day, we offer heartfelt condolences to today's victims and their families," the city posted on its website. "Our city is working tirelessly to get as much information out to the families so they can begin the grieving process. Please keep the following individuals in your thoughts and prayers. #PrayforOrlando."
Medical examiners worked through the night confirming identifies and city officials released the names whose families have been notified:
Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 Stanley Almodovar III, 23 Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 Luis S. Vielma, 22 Kimberly Morris, 37 Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25 Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50 Amanda Alvear, 25 Martin Benitez Torres, 33 Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26 Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25 Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 Luis Daniel Conde, 39 Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25 Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 Cory James Connell, 21 Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37
The name of the shooter, Omar Mateen, who was killed in a gunfight with Orlando police, is not on the list as police do not consider him a victim.
News4Jax was told Sunday evening that doctors released a list of patients being treated, but that list was not made public.
CNN is reporting that Rodney Sumter, from Jacksonville, was among the the dozens who survived the mass shooting.
Sumter was reported to be recovering at a hospital.
Joshua McGill wrote on Facebook about trying to help Sumter.
“I tied my shirt and his shirt over his wounds to stop the bleeding and got him secretly to the nearest officer who then transported us to the ER. Words cannot and will not describe the feeling of that. Being covered in blood.. Trying to save a guys life that I don’t even know regardless that I’m fine ... just traumatized."
McGill added: “If anyone knows of a guy named Rodney that was shot and injured tonight. … Please let me know he is okay. I felt God put me at the club and made me stay behind to help a complete stranger. For whatever reason that may be..I don’t know, but I do know it was hopefully to save his life. May God be with us all in this time of need.”
Many of the families are staying at a hotel across from Orlando Regional Medical Center.
News4Jax spoke with one family who is searching for their nephew, Jonathan.
They said Jonathan went to Pulse Orlando last night and posted on Facebook around 3 a.m. but they haven't heard from him since.
Meanwhile, victims who were wounded described the scene as mass chaos.
Two men who were inside Pulse, described on its website as a gay club, discussed the Sunday massacre in Facebook chats with The Associated Press.
Brand White, 30, of Orlando, was shot in the terrorist attack.
"We are dancing and all of a sudden it just started like a rolling thunder, loud and everything went black," he said.
White was with his cousin, who mentioned something about "a guy with a bomb." After that, White said, his memory is fuzzy; he said he doesn't recall leaving the club or who took him to the hospital.
White, who was shot in the shoulder, spoke to the AP as he was being monitored at a hospital. He said he received a blood transfusion, and authorities have pleaded for people to donate blood in the wake of the worst mass shooting in the history of the United States.
White's cousin was unaccounted for — no one had heard from him as of 2:45 p.m.
Another man, Brett Rigas, said he and his partner were dancing when they heard shots.
Rigas was shot in the arm and hid behind a bar. About five minutes later, authorities came in and told everyone to put their hands up and run out.
Rigas said he saw bodies as he ran out.
Baron Serrano said he hasn't been given official word on his brother, so he's holding out hope he's still alive.
"Desperate, that's what it is. I'm completely desperate because I need to know something. Nobody gave me any information. They are trying their best," Serrano said. "They are very organized out there and in the hospital. But there is not a lot of information."
Gilbert Crispin told News4Jax that one of his friends is awake and has started recalling the horror.
"They were trying to survive. They talk about people getting shot and they were under their corpses. They were just trying to stay there until everything was cleared up. It's horrible to know they are all your family and all your friends," Crispin said. "In some cases, we don't have family. We are all we have. They are calling names and there is no family to pray for those people. And that's why I'm here. I'm here to see if they're OK."