The Florida mosque that Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen attended before his death caught fire overnight, and authorities say they have not yet determined how it started.
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St. Lucie County Fire District crews responded and put the fire out.
It is too early in the investigation to connect 9/11 or the Pulse attacks to the fire, Thompson said.
He also declined to speculate on whether the Sunday anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks played a role in the fire.
At approximately 12:31 a.m., 9-1-1 received a call that the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce was on fire.
Photos released by the sheriff’s office showed that the structure appeared to be intact.
Authorities were trying to make sure the building was safe before going inside to assess the extent of the damage, Thompson said.
Omar Mateen, 29, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, has been identified as the gunman who opened fire at Pulse nightclub in Orlando in what is now the worst mass shooting in US history.
Rahman said the mosque preached a peaceful message. “We came to this country; this country gave us everything”.
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Mateen began attending the Fort Pierce mosque as a child and continued to visit the Islamic house of worship several days a week, iman Syed Shafeeq Rahman said after the Orlando massacre. We never hear any stupid things coming out from anybody.
