50 people were killed and 53 others injured after a gunman, armed with an automatic assault rifle and a handgun, opened fire at a packed gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida early Sunday morning in what is being described as the worst terror attack in US history since 9/11.

President Barack Obama, in a message he delivered hours after the shooting, condemned the tragic and horrific incident at Orlando's Pulse nightclub describing, it as both an "act of terror" and an "act of hate."

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"We know enough to say this was an act of terror, an act of hate," Obama said. "And as Americans, we are united in grief, in outrage, and in resolve to defend our people," he added.

The shooter, who was gunned down by the police during an exchange of fire at the scene, has been identified as Omar Mateen - a 29-year-old U.S. citizen born to Afghani immigrants.   

Mateen, who was born in New York, was fatally shot by police who stormed the club almost three hours after the shooting erupted. The police said he was a Florida resident and worked as a security guard before committing the heinous act, which according to the police was "planned and organized."

"It has been reported that Mateen made calls to 911 this morning in which he stated his allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State," said FBI officials in charge of the case.

Anti-terror officials, however, cautioned that they have yet to determine if Mateen acted on the Islamic State's instructions or was just "inspired" by the ISIS ideology, which prompted him to plan his deadly attack at the club.

"This was an act of terror. This was an act of hate," the presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton tweeted in the early hours of Sunday after learning of the tragedy.

Reports said the FBI interviewed Mateen in 2013 and 2014 upon complaints from his ex-wife and neighbors that he was espousing the Islamic State's ideology but found no concrete evidence to support that he was a part of the extremist group, leaving authorities with no choice but to let him go.

LGBTQ groups across the country have also voiced their support to the families and relatives of the Pulse victims saying that the LGBTQ community will not be cowered by any threats to their advocacies.

Meanwhile, the world continues to pay tributes to the Orlando shooting victims, with members of the LGBTQ in Paris, Canada and other nations lighting candles, singing and chanting slogans like "love overcomes hate."

More than 300 people packed the cavernous gay nightclub when the lone gunman entered the venue and opened fire.

TagsOrlando terror attack, Omar Mateen, President Barack Obama, LGBTQ community, Orlando shooting, Orlando Pulse, Orlando