ORLANDO, FL (WHDH) — A Framingham native who survived the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub over the weekend recounted what happened during the shooting at a news conference at the hospital.
Angel Colon, 26, said he was saying goodbye to friends after a great night at the Pulse Nightclub. Then, out of nowhere he heard shots.
“We just grabbed each other, we started running,” he said. “I was shot three times in my leg so I fell down. I tried to get up, I got trampled over and I shattered and broke my bones on my left leg.”
Colon said he lay on the floor while people ran over him, trying to get out of the club.
“All I could hear was the shot gun, one after another, people screaming, people yelling for help,” he said.
Colon said he thought he was safe, but the shooter came back and shot people who were already dead. He said the shooter, who he had never seen before that night, shot his hand and the side of his hip as he aimed for Colon’s head. Colon said he tried to lay down on the ground so the shooter would think he was dead.
“I kept thinking, ‘I’m next, I’m dead,’” he said. “I was just prepared to stay there, lying down, so he won’t know I’m alive.”
Colon said a police officer found him, made sure he was alive, and carried him out, dragging him out over broken glass on the floor.
“I don’t feel pain, but I just feel all this blood on my from myself, from other people,” he said and added that he wished he could thank the police officer who rescued him.
When they got outside, Colon said all he could see were bodies.
“Seeing all these bodies everywhere, and this person is just enjoying doing this, I don’t know how,” he said.
Colon said he was grateful to the hospital staff for all of their work.
“The way you guys have taken care of us, its amazing, if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here,” he said. “I really appreciate that, and I will love you guys forever for doing that for me.”
Colon’s best friend was with him at the club, but lost track of him during the attack.
“It was a relief that he was alive, I was just relieved by the grace of God that he had an angel with him to protect him,” Jason Gonzalez said.
Colon is unable to walk yet but his sister Denise said she is relieved that he is OK.
“He’s here and he’s alive,” said Denise Colon. “That’s the most important thing.”
Colon grew up in Framingham and moved with his family to Florida when he was in high school.
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