Omar Mateen, 29, of Fort Pierce, Florida, carried an assault rifle and a pistol into a packed gay nightclub in Orlando at about 2 a.m. Eastern Time and opened fire, killing 50 and injuring at least 53 more, in the deadliest mass shooting ever in the U.S., and the worst American terror attack since 911. Mateen was shot and killed by police. He had called 911 shortly before the shooting started and pledged allegiance to ISIS and mentioning the Boston bombers.
People inside the Pulse nightclub described a scene of panic. Christopher Hansen said he heard gunshots that went on for so long that the shooting “could have lasted a whole song.” Ricardo Negron Almodovar, who managed to escape the club, wrote on his Facebook page, “People on the dance floor and bar got down on the floor and some of us who were near the bar and back exit managed to go out through the outdoor area and just ran.”
In addressing the nation on Sunday, President Barack Obama said that enough is known about the shooting to say that it was an “act of terror and act of hate.”
For some time the Orlando nightclub was in a hostage situation. It was not until about 5 a.m. that authorities were able to break down the door of the building with an armored vehicle.
The FBI said that they had interviewed Mateen twice for having alleged terrorist ties. In 2013 he had made remarks to coworkers about radical Islamic propaganda, and in 2014 made contact with a suicide bomber. The FBI closed the first case after being unable to confirm ties to radical Islam, and the second case after determining that their connection was minimal.
Authorities are investigating whether international terror was involved in the shooting, or if Mateen acted alone. According to Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, there have been no signs as yet that Islamic State leaders helped to orchestrate the plot. However, U.S. investigators are working under a theory that the mass shooting was inspired by Islamic State.
The two guns Mateen used in the shooting were purchased in the last week, according the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Marriage records show he married in 2009 in Port St. Lucie and family said that he has a 3-year-old son.