Orlando shooting survivor says he held door shut, trapping victims inside.

originally posted by: georgeglass
Why would you trap people inside?

I have read / heard this being reported earlier, it just doesn't make sense.

Giving the person the benefit of the doubt I would just guess he was in a panic or confused.

What the guy says is that there were two groups of people to consider.

One group, which included some of his "friends", were on the same side of the door as he was, and were trying to move through a narrow corridor to get outside. The other group was behind the door and he could hear the shots coming closer behind the door. He held the door shut so that the first group of people would get "space" to move through the narrow corridor to the outside of the building, since if the crowd behind the door mixed with the crowd in front the door they wouldn't have enough space to move quickly. People would just be trampling on top each other to get out. Obviously, this exit door was some distance inside the building, and people still had to move through the corridor within the building to escape. He said he held that exit door for about 10 to 15 seconds to help his friends and the other people in front the door to escape in safety first. Then he released the door. In other words, in the heat of the moment, he made a judgment call, that someone should regulate the flow of traffic, otherwise none of them would get out. Since we were'nt there, none of us can judge the guy, who had to make a split second decision on what best to do given the circumstances.

Naturally, the people trapped behind the door for that 15 seconds aren't going to be happy. But, the people in front the door were able to escape. We don't know what would have happened if the door was not held shut temporarily. Would the traffic of bodies have overwhelmed the small narrow space and led to even more deaths? Who can say.

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: dreamingawake

Was it just me, or did the account at your link seem to say the guy blocking the door was inside? Not directly... but just the way he spoke?

And didn't the guy in the video say he was outside?

Op source says while shaky in his response(sketchy to boot), viewed people trying to escape from a closet like door. I'd assume he was inside as well as the man's account in my link.

Man in my link/video also mentioned he thought there was two shooters and two guns going off at first.

This eye witness account seems more than fishy:

- it s physically impossible for one guy to hold a door shut, when several people in panic try to escape
- later on he tells, that he saw "a bullet sticking out of a guy s leg" he describes the bullet as about 5 cm long (after being shot).


Not buying it.

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: dreamingawake

Was it just me, or did the account at your link seem to say the guy blocking the door was inside? Not directly... but just the way he spoke?

And didn't the guy in the video say he was outside?

Okay NM the first post as I see it now:
On the Op video am reviewing At 3:22 where he explains more about being outside.

The guy in my link says what sounds like inside, but may not be?

But he said the door was blocked by a man. He wasn’t sure if it was a club security person or an accomplice to the gunmen. “Fifty people were trying to jump over each other trying to exit the place. There was a guy holding the door and not letting us exit. He’s like ‘Stay inside, stay inside.’ As he is saying that, the shooter keeps getting closer and closer and the sound of the bullets is getting closer. Everyone starts to panic. People are getting trampled. Let us out, let us out!’’’

I haven't posted on ATS in a long time, but I wanted to point out to you guys that before this survivor was interviewed, George Stephanopoulos was interviewing a man on the phone who was suddenly cut off when he revealed that the door was being held shut. Not 10 minutes later the guy you are discussing here goes on the SAME station and provides an oh-so-convenient explanation.. what are the odds that they interviewed the people on both sides of that door within minutes of each other? I watched this happen on live TV. Here is the clip of the caller being cut off:

a reply to: dreamingawake

Man in my link/video also mentioned he thought there was two shooters and two guns going off at first. [/quote[

Yeah, I caught that too. He was specific about hearing a second gun and how eerie it was. I wondered if it could be an echo, but I don't think he'd mistake that for a second gun.

a reply to: martianmallow
.
Thanks for taking the time to share that.

Sure seems like they're trying to establish a narrative for their cover story

originally posted by: z00mster
a reply to: Necrobile

I don't think you need body language. He clearly says "my goal was making sure that my best friend and (his?these?) people would have space"

The reason I wanted to see his body language is because the moment I first read this thread my first thought was whether or not he was actually helping the shooter. After watching him I don't believe he was helping the shooter, I think he just pulled a brave yet cowardly act in a bad situation. By holding the door shut he may have helped those people, but after watching how he reacted I'm not so sure helping those people was his first priority, hence why I posted the video that I did. That I believe is what truly happened.

a reply to: georgeglass

from the video it sounds like he felt like the shooter was going to be the next one through that door, in the moment he thought he was just keeping only the shooter inside, you could tell when the reporter asked him if he realizes he was trapping other victims inside, he very nearly breaks down crying, i think he realizes it now but didnt at the moment.
im sure he'll be harassed over the possibility for the rest of his life,

a reply to: Necrobile
I think he might be an actor pegged to handle the role of 'door holder' after ABC inadvertently left the word out that someone was at the club holding exit doors shut to increase the number of people killed.

originally posted by: martianmallow
I haven't posted on ATS in a long time, but I wanted to point out to you guys that before this survivor was interviewed, George Stephanopoulos was interviewing a man on the phone who was suddenly cut off when he revealed that the door was being held shut. Not 10 minutes later the guy you are discussing here goes on the SAME station and provides an oh-so-convenient explanation.. what are the odds that they interviewed the people on both sides of that door within minutes of each other? I watched this happen on live TV. Here is the clip of the caller being cut off:

Exactly.

How about this: Those in charge of the ruse realized that the fact of the door being held shut by an accomplice was getting out. They bring in this "witness", who by some astounding coincidence, out of all the people in the club that night, just happens to be the guy (certainly not involved in this "lone wolf" attack) who was holding the door shut.

Just a thought.

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: martianmallow
.
Thanks for taking the time to share that.

Sure seems like they're trying to establish a narrative for their cover story

Here is the guy's IMDB entry: Luis Burbano, IMDB

Here is his story at the DailyMail...Luis Burbano held the door closed


I admit, in light of the facts and circumstances here, it really disturbs me to find he is an actor.

originally posted by: svetlana84
This eye witness account seems more than fishy:

- it s physically impossible for one guy to hold a door shut, when several people in panic try to escape

Not buying it.

From his IMDB resumé...

Luis Burbano III

Performer Profile
Gender: Male
Height: 5 feet 8 in
Weight: 145 lbs

So....this 5' 8" guy who only weighs 145 lbs, was able to barricade a door and prevent a fleeing mob from escaping.

It is very hard to swallow.

It is a law that any entry doors open outward to allow hasty exit of a business establishment for fires and such. That pretty much proves he was on the outside of the door.

I don't think his holding the door made much difference regarding others getting shot inside, as the way it probably turned out was probably the shooter firing into a mass of people trying to escape and save them selfish selves as the guy who blocked the door did.

a reply to: MyHappyDogShiner

I don't know if anyone was shot from the door being held closed, but witnesses reported people were trampled as a result.

a reply to: MotherMayEye

I admit, in light of the facts and circumstances here, it really disturbs me to find he is an actor.

Me too. And that was my first though while watching his video -- is he an actor? Is he just playing a part? I hate to judge people for not grieving or panicking "right," but his body language and demeanor did not strike me as one who had just lived through such horror, much less the role he claimed he played. Hell -- I'm more upset than he is!!!

This is all just very very strange.

Found an article about his current wife (I just posted it) saying that she knew and tried to talk her husband out of it. The article doesn't say if she knew he was going to do it that night, but it does say she was with him when he bought some of the supplies for the attack. But cops are just "considering" charging her? Huh??? After the previous stories from his ex-wife and the claims that he'd been frequenting gay bars since high school, this story just doesn't sit right either.

a reply to: Boadicea

I feel the same. It's all very strange.

Also, I am not above judging him because I honestly don't believe his story. If people don't question these things, then we leave ourselves open to professional actors lying about hugely impactful events that matter a great deal to everyone.

I refuse to be guilt-tripped into not questioning the info coming out.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
a reply to: Boadicea

I feel the same. It's all very strange.

Also, I am not above judging him because I honestly don't believe his story.

That's exactly where I'm at too. I don't believe him, so I cannot judge him for what claims... I can only judge him for the lies I believe he's telling -- I just don't know where the lies begin and end! If I find out differently, then I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it. For now, though, every fiber of my being is telling me he's a lying liar.

If people don't question these things, then we leave ourselves open to professional actors lying about hugely impactful events that matter a great deal to everyone.

I refuse to be guilt-tripped into not questioning the info coming out.

Kinda like the old sentiment "I'd rather beg forgiveness than ask permission." If my initial judgment is wrong, I will be appropriately apologetic... but I'd rather be wrong and apologize than ignore big bright red flags because of political correctness. That serves no one's best interests.

a reply to: Boadicea

I'm in total agreement......something is odd here...The original, first reports were all saying, they thought there might be 2 shooters. That was QUICKLY changed.....things that make you go......hhmmmmmmm

originally posted by: j.r.c.b.
a reply to: Boadicea

I'm in total agreement......something is odd here...The original, first reports were all saying, they thought there might be 2 shooters. That was QUICKLY changed.....things that make you go......hhmmmmmmm

It's just crazy!

At this point, I'm wondering if there were actually three people working together, because of an interview with one of the men trapped inside who spoke of two -- TWO! -- guns being fired simultaneously inside, as well as speaking about the man blocking the exit. That makes three.

And now knowing that the guy claiming that he was the one blocking the door is also an actor -- thanks MotherMayEye! -- makes me wonder if he's just doing his job and playing a role... I'd really like some confirmation that he was in fact there and was in fact blocking the door. I'd also like to know if he was inside or outside, and if that door opened in or out.

I know I know... and people in hell want ice water