More light is being shed on the possible motivations for Omar Mateen’s attack for last Saturday the Pulse nightclub in Orlando
From NPR:
Reports: Gunman Had Visited Nightclub Before, Used Gay Dating Apps
Omar Mateen, who authorities say killed 49 people at the gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Fla., was reportedly no stranger to the club.
Multiple media outlets are reporting that some Pulse regulars recognized Mateen, saying that he spent time at the nightclub before the shooting early Sunday. Witnesses have said the same to authorities, NPR's Dina Temple-Raston reports, citing U.S. officials with knowledge of the investigation.
Meanwhile, at least two men have told the press they interacted with Mateen on gay dating apps. Investigators have not commented on the claims.
From the NY Post using a Brazilian TV station as a source.
Ex-wife’s bombshell claim: Club shooter was gay
The ex-wife of Orlando mass killer Omar Mateen claimed Monday that she believed he was homosexual — as it was revealed that he frequented the gay nightclub where he staged the nation’s worst massacre in modern times.
Sitora Yusufiy, who was married to Mateen in 2009 for three months, made the shocking claim on Brazilian television station SBT Brazil.
Her fiancé, Marco Dias, speaking in Portuguese on her behalf, said Yusufiy believed that Mateen had “gay tendencies” and that his father had called him gay in front of her. Dias also claimed “the FBI asked her not to tell this to the American media.”
Orlando shooter Omar Mateen was gay, former classmate says
By Lawrence Mower
The classmate said that he, Mateen and other classmates would hang out, sometimes going to gay nightclubs, after classes at the Indian River Community College police academy. He said Mateen asked him out romantically.
“We went to a few gay bars with him, and I was not out at the time, so I declined his offer,” the former classmate said. He asked that his name not be used.
He believed Mateen was gay, but not open about it. Mateen was awkward, and for a while the classmate and the rest in the group of friends felt sorry for him.
Apparently Mateen was familiar face at Pulse, and Omar may even have been acquainted with some of his victims.
From President Obama’s statement on the Orlando mass shooting
Remarks by the President After Briefing on the Attack in Orlando, Florida
First of all, our hearts go out to the families of those who have been killed. Our prayers go to those who have been wounded. This is a devastating attack on all Americans. It is one that is particularly painful for the people of Orlando, but I think we all recognize that this could have happened anywhere in this country. And we feel enormous solidarity and grief on behalf of the families that have been affected.
The fact that it took place at a club frequented by the LGBT community I think is also relevant. We’re still looking at all the motivations of the killer. But it’s a reminder that regardless of race, religion, faith or sexual orientation, we’re all Americans, and we need to be looking after each other and protecting each other at all times in the face of this kind of terrible act.
With respect to the killer, there’s been a lot of reporting that’s been done. It’s important to emphasize that we’re still at the preliminary stages of the investigation, and there’s a lot more that we have to learn. The one thing that we can say is that this is being treated as a terrorist investigation. It appears that the shooter was inspired by various extremist information that was disseminated over the Internet. All those materials are currently being searched, exploited so we will have a better sense of the pathway that the killer took in making the decision to launch this attack.
As Director Comey I think will indicate, at this stage we see no clear evidence that he was directed externally. It does appear that, at the last minute, he announced allegiance to ISIL, but there is no evidence so far that he was in fact directed by ISIL. And there also at this stage is no direct evidence that he was part of a larger plot.
Mateen in his confused statement gave his allegiance to both ISIL, and a Shiite group at war with ISIL.
What has the Orlando gunman's father said?
In the video posted early Monday, Seddique Mateen says his son was well-educated and respectful to his parents, and that he was "not aware what motivated him to go into a gay club and kill 50 people."
The elder Mateen says he was saddened by his son's actions during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
He then adds: "God will punish those involved in homosexuality," saying it's, "not an issue that humans should deal with."
This is starting to look more like an act born out of Omar’s homophobic self-loathing, and his Father’s revulsion, more than an act of radical Islamic inspired terrorism.
Whatever the possible motivations for this attack, it doesn’t change the disturbing fact that this was the 13th mass shooting tragedy to occur during President Obama’s term.
Better gun control will promote better Public Safety.