American injured in attack identified as Del. business owner

A small business owner of Greenville, Delaware has been identified as one of the dozens injured in a deadly nightclub shooting at an Istanbul nightclub on New Year's Eve.

The Associated Press reports 35-year-old Jacob Raak, originally from Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, was visiting friends in Istanbul.

"All I can say is it's a massive tragedy. This is very unfortunate," Raak told reporters.

The shooting has left at least 39 dead as of Monday night.

The scene inside Reina nightclub began like so many others around the globe with party hats and sparklers waving at midnight.

Around 1:15 a.m., security footage shows a man firing outside of the nightclub. Turkish police have released photos of the suspect, who ISIS has claimed as one their soldiers.

ABC News reports the suspect stormed inside the nightclub. The shooting lasted for seven minutes.

Raak told reporters he survived by playing dead.

"I was with nine people. Seven of us were shot, seven of us were shot," he recalled.

Playing dead, according to Sergeant Brian Donohoe, can be considered a portion of the "run-hide-fight" concept.

Sergeant Donohoe of the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office tells 47ABC the concept is commonly taught for active shooter situations. If you can't run, hide and create a barricade.

Because Raak played dead, Sergeant Donohue says the suspect likely overlooked him.

"These perpetrators are normally looking for easy targets, people they can take out and creating that fear aspect. Someone that's obviously, you know, deceased or appears deceased…they pass on by," he explains.

If there is no other avenue left, the last option of the concept is to fight.

"Remember you're fighting for your life. Use everything you could think of. Everything is immalleable when you're fighting for your life," explains Sergeant Donohoe.

Sergeant Donohoe also adds it's important that if you see anything suspect, to speak up and say something.

As for this particular incident, ABC News reports Turkish police say are questioning eight people in connection with the attack; however, the gunman is not among them. Their search is continuing.