9 Investigates whether Pulse was over capacity night of shooting

ORLANDO, Fla. — Hundreds of survivors ran for their lives as the Pulse terror attack unfolded.

Forty-nine victims didn’t make it out and dozens of people were injured when Omar Mateen opened fire in the club before being killed in a standoff with police.

Originally, the city said there were 321 people inside the club.

The club’s lawyer said the total occupancy figure for the club that night came from a clicker counter, then said he found out that wasn’t true.

The city said clubs are responsible for keeping track of how many people go in and out.

The approved capacity for Pulse is 300.

Orlando police said the occupancy for the club was 321.

There is no indication the club was ever over capacity at any given time.

The lawyer representing the nightclub first said the 321 figure came from the club’s counter that’s used to keep track of how many people come into the club.

Then, he said he found out it did not come from a counter, but that it was the staff’s estimate that there were between 150-200 people in the club that night.

The mayor’s deputy chief of staff said the city requires clubs to keep track of how many patrons go in and out.

Pulse’s lawyer said he does not believe, at this point, that Pulse tracked how many people left that night before the shooting.

He said that a clicker was no on the FBI inventory list of evidence from the club.

Cox Media Group