24-year-old Imran Yousuf was working as a bouncer at Pulse.
AB Wire
A former Marine of Indian Origin, Imran Yousuf, has been hailed as a hero for saving dozens of lives during Sunday’s shooting massacre at an Orlando nightclub.
24-year-old Imran was working as a bouncer at Pulse when the shots rang out. He helped more than 60 people by opening the doors of a room which the panicked partygoers had locked themselves inside after Mateen began shooting.
“The initial one was three or four (shots). That was a shock. Three of four shots go off and you could tell it was a high caliber” Imran Yousuf told CBS News.
“Everyone froze, I’m here in the back and I saw people start pouring into the back hallway, and they just sardine pack everyone” Yousuf said.
“There was only one choice. Either we all stay there and we all die, or I could take the chance, and I jumped over to open that latch and we got everyone that we can out of there,” The Afghanistan war veteran added.
Despite him being called a hero for his actions, Imran Yousuf says he is no hero and is pained that he couldn’t save more people.
“I wish I could have saved more to be honest. There are a lot of people that are dead …there are a lot of people that are dead,” he told CBS through tears.
Yousuf, a Hindu man along with his brother Ameer had served in the Marines for six years and had fought the war in Afghanistan.
Yousuf served as an engineer equipment electrical system technician in the Marine Corps from June 2010 to May 2016, according to service officials. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2011.
His military awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Korean Defense Service Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal.
Despite courageous efforts by Yousuf and others, at least 49 people were killed and 53 others were injured in the shooting.