She spoke to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for about an hour Sunday afternoon about her ex-husband, 29-year-old Omar Seddique Mateen of Fort Pierce, Florida.
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The 22-year-old clothing store sales clerk had arrived at the club at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, clad all in blue from his button-down shirt adorned with palm trees to his loafers. She described Mateen as unstable.
He owned a small-calibre handgun and worked as a guard at a nearby facility for juvenile delinquents. He pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in a 911 call before the shooting, according to according to a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
“We are looking into any and all connections, both domestic and global”. In New York City, LGBT people and their allies converged on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in spontaneous reaction to the shooting.
Before fatally shooting 50 people and wounding 53 others at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, Omar Mateen, 29, who was killed by police, appeared to live a quiet life in Fort Pierce on Florida’s southeast coast, 120 miles from the nightclub where the massacre took place.
Ronald Hopper said Mateen had twice before come to the attention of authorities.
“The FBI thoroughly investigated the matter, including interviews of witnesses, physical surveillance and records checks”.
The following year, agents talked to him again about his contact with suicide bomber Moner Mohammad Abusalha, a Floridian who joined a branch of al-Qaida and blew himself up in Syria in 2014.
Mateen’s father, Mir Seddique, told NBC News that the massacre was not related to religion.
“We have a strong, resilient community”, he said.
Fifty-three people were wounded in the rampage.
“It just hurts me that a place like Pulse was targeted because people go there to feel safe”, he said.
“Words can not and will not describe the feeling of that”. Being covered in blood. “Trying to save a guy’s life”.
Hours before the shooting, the club urged partygoers to attend its “Latin flavor” night Saturday.
The number of dead shocked local officials, who had initially put the death toll at 20.
“In the beginning, he was a normal being who cared about his family, loved to joke, loved to have fun, but then a few months after we got married, I saw his instability”, Yusufiy said. At least 42 people have been transported for medical treatment, he said.
The agency first became aware of Mateen in 2013 after he allegedly made comments to his co-workers that suggested sympathy for militants.
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, who has proposed a temporary ban on Muslim immigration – sparked a backlash with a later tweet: “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don’t want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. When will we get tough, smart & vigilant?” he tweeted. I am one of them.
Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said it could be classified as an act of domestic terrorism, ABC News reported.
“The decision was made to rescue hostages that were in there”, Orlando Police Chief John Mina told reporters. “Tonight, we had a crime that will have a lasting impact on our community”. That held paramedics up from entering the club until it was determined the part had fallen out of an exit sign or smoke detector, the mayor said.
Kenneth Melendez told the Orlando Sentinel that he and his friends were at the club when the shooting happened.
“There is no information at this stage to suggest any New Zealanders have been caught up in the shooting”.
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“New Zealanders in the United States are advised to follow any instructions issued by the local authorities and monitor the media to stay informed of developments”.
