WASHINGTON: A Muslim Marine saved the lives of more than 60 people in the Orlando massacre, the US media reported on Friday.
The reports said that New York native Imran Yousuf had joined the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, as a security guard after retiring from the US Marine Corps. He was on duty on June 12 when gunman Omar Mateen stormed the club, killing 49 people and injuring more than 53.
Mr Yusuf returned from a tour of duty Afghanistan in April and joined the club in May. He told CBS News that at about 1:45am on June 12, just after the last call at the club, he heard shots ringing out and immediately rushed to the backdoor, unlatched it and supervised the evacuation of more than 60 people while Mateen kept firing indiscriminately.
Witnesses said he put his own life at risk to save others who would have been trapped inside had Yousuf not evacuated them. The Yousufs emigrated from India to Guyana four generations ago but now live in the United States.
Imran Yousuf joined the Marine Corps in 2010 served as an engineer equipment electrical systems technician in the Marine Corps from June 2010 to May 2016. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2011.
He also won several awards during his service, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Korean Defence Service Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
