Two years on from the Pulse nightclub massacre, survivors and the families of victims have filed a lawsuit against Orlando police, reports.
The lawsuit alleges that police officers on the scene violated the civil rights of party-goers by not immediately entering the club and confronting the active shooter.
“These defendants chose to allow the patrons of the club to be massacred while these defendants ensured only that they themselves were safe,” the lawsuit reads.
It continues: “These defendants knew that there were innocent people being massacred and that they themselves were the only ones who could stop it, and that it was their job to do so, yet they still, in a manner [that] shocks the conscience, chose to disregard the safety of the patrons while instead ensuring only that they themselves were safe.”
Lawyer Keith Altman, who is representing the group, said: “There is no doubt in my mind that one of the worst mass shootings in this country’s history could have been prevented — easily."
“As we allege in the complaint, had the owners of Pulse simply put reasonable and appropriate security procedures into place at the club, we do not believe the shooter would have been able to make his way into the club, armed and ready to kill.”
An additional lawsuit has also been filed by a group of 39 survivors and victim’s family members against the two owners of the nightclub, Barbara and Rosario Poma, alleging that the venue had insufficient security measures on the night of the 2016 attack.
"What is important to Rosario and me is that we continue to focus on remembering the 49 angels that were taken, the affected survivors and to continue to help our community heal,” Poma said in response to the lawsuit.
Orlando City and the Orlando Police Department responded in a joint statement, saying that “federal, state and local law enforcement officers and first responders put themselves in harm’s way to save as many lives as possible.”
The statement continued: “The City of Orlando has not seen the lawsuit, nor have we been formally served with the lawsuit."
“We can’t comment on the substance of the litigation.”
