As many ask themselves— what motivated this shooter to kill innocent people— over 24 hours after the chaos, the victims who survived are recovering in the hospital. Some of the five who sadly did not make it also now identified from this horrific attack in our backyard.
Three of the five victims who died at the hands of 26-year-old Esteban Santiago were identified Saturday. 62-year-old Terry Andres, a volunteer firefighter from Virginia, Olga Woltering a great grandmother from Georgia and 57-year-old Michael Oehme of Iowa. Oehme was flying in to Fort Lauderdale for a Caribbean cruise but he never made it. His wife Kari was also shot but is expected to survive.
It was a terrifying 24 hours with transport after transport Friday— around 30 people with injuries— most of them rushed to Broward Health Medical Center. Six of them were hospitalized suffering from gunshot wounds.
"Originally yesterday we released that there were eight gunshot victims, there were actually only six," said Broward Sheriff's Office Scott Israel. "Three of them remain in good condition. Three of the victims remain in ICU."
The victims of yet another senseless mass shooting are recuperating as they try to make sense of it all.
"We do have six shooting victims. they range in terms of their prognosis but they're being supported by their loved ones and the staff members and everyone who came through our doors has their life today and we're making sure that they enjoy the gift of life." said CEO of Broward Health Mark Sprada.
Gov. Rick Scott visited patients again Saturday— saying they're appreciative of the doctors stepping up in this time of crisis.
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"This hospital provided outstanding surgery and they feel comfortable that they'll get back to normal but they're going through the issues they have jobs and who's going to take care of their loved one that's injured," Scott said.
Doctors treated passengers for various issues like chest pain and breathing problems. Others were pulled off planes that were stranded on the runway for hours--one man a diabetic.
"I asked the stewardess about food because no more food pretzels there's only so long and I think I may have scared them a little to where I called the EMS which they knew immediately what was happening," he said.
People visiting the hospital Friday also describe their friends scrambling to safety in a panic.
"Everybody was running in one direction and she couldn't really run with them and she can't because of her health condition," said Helena Rodriguez, friend of a victim. "So she just hid under a county she went by the rental cars in the garage and she said there was another shooting going on there and they carried her out."
One patient is expected to be released Saturday. The names of the six survivors at the hospital have not been released at this time.
