Moammar Gadhafi has been killed, giving crowds of Libyans room to finally flood into the streets shouting and firing gunshots, not in opposition, but in triumph over the end of a 42-year dictatorship.

Gadhafi, 69, was killed in his hometown of Sirte, which has been occupied for eight months by fighters who have been trying to complete their uprising.

Rumors of the death flooded social media platforms with some saying he died immediately after being shot in the head and legs, others blamed a NATO air strike, while one representative claimed he was alive when captured but later died in an ambulance.

After hours of conflicting reports, the National Transitional Council (NTC) Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibri announced: We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Moammar Gadhafi has been killed. His statement was followed by a broadcast on al-Jazeera that showed a video of Gadhafi's body.

Here are some of the top responses on Twitter:

NickKristof Nicholas Kristof

Let's hope the celebratory gunfire in Libya doesn't kill too many people. I wish Libyans wld celebrate with firecrackers.

robbiepaulin Robbie Paulin

Saw all of the things about Gadaffi (sic) and was really upset at first cause I thought it said Gandalf (sic) was dead! #blondemoment

Ghonim Wael Ghonim

I pray for thousands of Libyans who sacrificed their lives for a free#Libya. Qaddafi's end was expected. I hope all other Qaddafis get it!

StateDept StateDept

#SecClinton: On behalf of the American people, I congratulate allLibyans. go.usa.gov/9og #Libya

Libyan4life Assia Bashir Amry

You should see Libyans try to organize a picnic. Im BLOWN away they organized a government. #Fowda #3waj

_Snape_ Professor Snape

Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, and now MuammarGaddafi. Let's just hope none of them hid a series of Horcruxes...

FrankConniff Frank Conniff

Gaddafi dead. International Human Rights Groups informing comedians that phrase Too Soon is inapplicable in this case.

wengerknowsbest Wenger KnowsBest

I don't usually comment on speculation, but I believe it is wrong to ask if Gaddafi is out for the rest of the season.

ahmed Ahmed Al Omran

Ban Ki-Moon on Gaddafi death: Let us recognize that this is only the end of the beginning #libya

acarvin Andy Carvin

Ah, yes. Twitter took so long to load I didn't see the promoted tag next to #IfIWereAPet. Gaddafi it is, then. #trendingtopics

RawyaRageh Rawya Rageh

Nice one. RT @KatalystProds The rat #Gaddafi was found in a sewer. What poetic justice. #Libya

Lord_Sugar Lord Sugar

@ @piersmorgan is there absolute proof yet that Gaddafi is dead or is this another of your fantasies like your CNN viewing figures

Libyan4life Assia Bashir Amry

My mother is in tears. She cant stop crying. She left #Libya 38 years ago as a young bride with my father in resistance to #Gaddafi

ASE Ahmed Shihab-Eldin

by CeylanWrites

I'm conflicted its raining in Vienna but I want to head to the embassy. Worried if I buy an umbrella I'd be seen as payin tribute 2 #gaddafi

piersmorgan Piers Morgan

#Gadhafi has ruled #Libya since I was 4 years old. He's the Queen Victoria of despots.

Meanwhile, a parody twitter account of @ColonelMGadaffi is tweeting the afterlife. His bio reads: I am ruler of Libya- I live in tent with lady bodyguards and have bastard good time ...then bastard drug addict cockroaches come and cause bastard trouble..

Here are his after life tweets:

ColonelMGadaffi Colonel Gadaffi

Ok- have moved into afterlife housing and is not too bad- I share room with Saddam Hussein and we have crazy good time razzing Ronald Reagan

ColonelMGadaffi Colonel Gadaffi

Good news...there is very nice falafel bar in heaven- however it is much hotter here than I expected - Bismillah

ColonelMGadaffi Colonel Gadaffi

Is not actually too bad up/down here. They say Thatcher she come very soon and John Simpson- when he come I still kick his puffball ass

Al Jazeera Human rights Twitter Libya