What we know about the Orlando nightclub shooter so far
- 8 years ago
ORLANDO, FLORIDA — Authorities have identified that man who was behind the mass shooting at a Florida nightclub early Sunday as 29-year-old Omar Mateen. At least 50 people were killed when Mateen opened fire at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. He was gunned down during a shootout with police.
Mateen called the police about 20 minutes into the attack to declare his allegiance to ISIS, and also mentioned the Boston Marathon bombers, CNN reported a U.S. official as saying. However, details about the gunman’s history and his connections to the terror group are still being investigated.
Mateen was born in New York to Afghan parents, but moved to Fort Pierce, Florida, according to the BBC.
CNN reports that bomb squad teams, FBI agents and police were searched Mateen’s apartment for hours on Sunday, but investigators have not disclosed what they found there.
According to officials, Mateen caught the FBI’s attention in 2015 when he made inflammatory comments to co-workers and alluding to possible terrorist ties. However, the investigation was later closed because authorities weren’t able to verify the substance of the comments.
In 2014, the Mateen was interviewed by the FBI again over possible connections he had with an American suicide bomber. However, officials said that contact was also considered minimal and not substantive enough to be a threat.
Separately, Mateen’s ex-wife, Sitora Yusufiy, held a press conference on Sunday alleging that he had abused her periodically during their relationship. She added that she thought he was emotionally unstable and suffered from mental illness.
The two reportedly married after meeting online years ago.
Mateen called the police about 20 minutes into the attack to declare his allegiance to ISIS, and also mentioned the Boston Marathon bombers, CNN reported a U.S. official as saying. However, details about the gunman’s history and his connections to the terror group are still being investigated.
Mateen was born in New York to Afghan parents, but moved to Fort Pierce, Florida, according to the BBC.
CNN reports that bomb squad teams, FBI agents and police were searched Mateen’s apartment for hours on Sunday, but investigators have not disclosed what they found there.
According to officials, Mateen caught the FBI’s attention in 2015 when he made inflammatory comments to co-workers and alluding to possible terrorist ties. However, the investigation was later closed because authorities weren’t able to verify the substance of the comments.
In 2014, the Mateen was interviewed by the FBI again over possible connections he had with an American suicide bomber. However, officials said that contact was also considered minimal and not substantive enough to be a threat.
Separately, Mateen’s ex-wife, Sitora Yusufiy, held a press conference on Sunday alleging that he had abused her periodically during their relationship. She added that she thought he was emotionally unstable and suffered from mental illness.
The two reportedly married after meeting online years ago.