An Orlando shooting victim’s horrific final moments were captured in text messages he sent to his mother early Sunday (June 12). Mina Justice received a barrage of frantic messages from her 30-year-old son, Eddie, as he hid inside a women’s bathroom at Pulse nightclub.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Mina said she was sleeping when the text messages started coming in at 2:06 a.m. “He said, ‘Mommy I love you. In the club, they’re shooting,’” she recalled.
Eddie sent more message telling his mom he was “trapped in the bathroom,” and to “call the police.”
He also texted: “He’s coming, I’m gonna’ die.”
Mina tried reaching her son on the phone, but he didn’t answer. “He called me back and said they were shooting and he was texting me at the same time,” she said. “I called the dispatcher and reported there was a shooting at a club.”
Mother and son continued texting throughout the ordeal. “I asked him if was he he hurt, he said, ‘yes.’ I asked him were other people hurt, he said ‘yes.’”
Once the gunman made it into the bathroom, Eddie sent another terrifying message to his mother. “He said ‘hurry, he’s in the bathroom with us, he’s a terror.’”
Eddie was among the 50 people confirmed dead, and 53 injured at the gay bar, which was hosting an event for Pride Week. The death toll includes shooter, Omar Mateen, who was killed by police.
A GoFundMe account has been launched to assist Eddie’s family with expenses.
Watch his mother details the heartbreaking text message exchange below.