It remains unclear, however, if ISIL had any prior knowledge of the attack or any role in planning it. In a radio broadcast Monday, the extremist group said Mateen was “one of the soldiers of the caliphate in America”.
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Mateen went into Pulse nightclub, a gay club, Sunday morning and killed at least 50 people and wounded at least 50 more, FBI investigators said. She said she had been beaten and otherwise physically abused by Mateen during outbursts in which he would “express hatred towards everything”.
Orlando police chief John Mina said a SWAT team rescued about 30 people and about 53 injured persons were taken to hospitals.
When the attacker opened fire in the early hours of Sunday morning, it interrupted an evening of drinking, dancing and drag shows at a club known for tolerance for all people.
Of the shooting’s 49 victims, 48 have been identified.
Rubio said the mass shooting in Orlando should be considered a turning point in which the US will no longer be afraid of terror cells like ISIS.
FBI Assistant Special Agent Ron Hopper said Mateen was twice investigated, once in 2013 for making inflammatory statements to co-workers, and again in 2014 for a potential tie to Moner Mohammad Abusalha, the first American to carry out a suicide attack in Syria.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said the shooting is the worst event to have ever occurred in the city.
The Florida shooter is Exhibit A why the notion of “birthright citizenship” – he was an Afghan Muslim who by sheer chance was born in NY – needs to be drastically curtailed in light of changed circumstances. Yusufiy says she met Mateen online. In addition to the assault rifle and handgun, he had a weapon in his vehicle, police said.
– Mateen called the 911 emergency number and claimed allegiance with the Islamic State group.
In a statement last night, G4S said it was “shocked and saddened” by the shooting.
Seddique Mir Mateen Mateen said the atrocity his son committed is completely inconsistent with the religious teachings he’s instilled in his family.
The father of the suspect said his son may have been motivated by homophobia.
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His father, Seddique Mateen, said the gunman was recently upset by the sight of two men kissing in Miami while with his son. “So, I mean, you could always tell there was something there, like they knew something”. “I just saw something that I’ve never seen before'”.
