Florida nightclub shooting: Police confirm 'mass casualty' situation at Pulse gay club in Orlando

A gunman opened fire in a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida.

Orlando Police confirmed the shooter was now dead after he stormed the Pulse nightclub in the city on Saturday night.

Authorities later confirmed they were dealing with a "mass casualty situation".

A message on the club's Facebook page posted earlier had said: "Everyone get out of pulse and keep running".

Florida police confirmed on Twitter that there were "multiple injuries" but did not immediately say whether there were any fatalities.

They later confirmed that authorities had carried out a controlled explosion, adding: "We can confirm this is a mass casualty situation. Support from local/state/federal agencies".

Local media reported that up to 20 people had been shot.

This page is being updated.