‘I’m gonna die’: Orlando victim’s texts to mother as gunman came

Eddie Justice sent a series of terrified texts to his mother from a bathroom as the gunman made his way through gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando. His mother searched for him and shared his texts over the following day but his name has now appeared on the list of those killed.

"Mommy I love you", read the first message Mina Justice received from her son Eddie Justice at 02:06 EST (06:06 GMT) on Sunday morning.

"In club they shooting", the next text read.

The 30-year-old was one of many held hostage in the Pulse nightclub on Sunday morning.
Forty-nine people have been killed and 53 injured so far in what has become the worst mass shooting in recent US history. On Sunday police said 50 people had been killed, but on Monday they revised the figure downwards to exclude the gunman from the death toll.

'I'm gonna die'

Mina was asleep but was woken by the text. She tried calling her son, but he did not answer, so she texted him instead.

"U ok?" she typed out.

He replied, "Trapp in bathroom" a minute later, before telling her he was at Pulse, asking her to call police.

Over the next few minutes Mina frantically sent a series of texts, telling Eddie she was calling them and asking him to answer his phone.

At 02:39, he said: "He's coming. I'm gonna die".

Mina asked her son, who worked as an accountant and lived in central Orlando, which bathroom he was in and if anyone was hurt.

"Lots. Yes," was his response.

She then told him that police were there and to let her know when he saw them. She also asked him if the man was in the bathroom with him.

"He's a terror," he replied at 02:50, before sending his last text.

"Yes."

There was no response after that. Eddie Jamoldroy Justice's name appeared as the ninth name on the running list of those killed in the attack.
 

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