ORLANDO, Fla. — Halloween night in downtown Orlando went from a fun night of music and partying to thousands running to safety after a 17-year-old fired a gun at a crowd of people.
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While many ducked for cover, security for KSP and La Rosa Nightclub Brandon Thomas leaped into action, saving hundreds from potential gunfire.
“Im just glad I had the right instinct to make sure i got to where i needed to be so people didn’t die,” said Brandon Thomas, KSP Security.
Thomas told Channel 9 his first instinct was to get to the door for people to get in and to maintain urgent order.
Surveillance footage outside La Rosa shows Thomas rushing towards the door, and hundreds follow.
Read: Halloween mass shooting survivor describes chaos during celebrations in downtown Orlando
“Immediately I made my way to the door and made sure the door was open to control the crowd that was flowing inside. I made sure that everybody had enough hand room to use their hands to use each other as kind of like a push,” said Thomas.
Thomas said not only was the objective to get people from outside the club inside but also those running away from the shooting scene.
Inside the nightclub, the owner and operator of JD Hospitality, Justin Kihano, said they helped to maintain order and quickly planned an escape route away from the danger.
“We funneled everybody behind the bar, upstairs to lay down and crouch down. me, security, and the other managers were walking around making sure everyone was okay,” said Kihano.
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Kihano said the plan between La Rosa and his upstairs bar was to have all patrons leave through the back door away from the shooter when it was safe.
Orlando Police said 17-year-old Jaylen Edgar is accused of being the shooter who sent bullets into a crowd of thousands. The juvenile faces two counts of first-degree murder and six counts of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm.
Since the shooting, Thomas said he hasn’t had the chance to take in all the chaos. However, he said what happened that late Halloween night only makes what he does all the more unique.
“With this shirt on my back it’s my job to make sure you’re safe so you can get back to [that] family even if it means I have to put my life on the line,” said Thomas.
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