At Least 50 Dead In Mass Shooting At Gay Nightclub In Orlando (Photo : Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Orlando nightclub shooting gunman Omar Mateen is said to have considered Walt Disney World as a potential target aside from the Pulse gay bar, federal law enforcement said according to People.
Mateen and his wife Noor Zahi Salman went to Walt Disney World in April and according to his wife, Mateen was scouting both Downtown Disney and Pulse for the attacks since Downtown Disney, which was now called Disney Springs, is not strict with security and doesn't check bags upon entry.
FBI investigated Mateen twice in 2013 and 2014. He was first investigated after he made concerning comments at work. After interviewing witnesses and a physical surveillance, the case was closed. He was once again investigated in 2014 linking him to Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, the first known suicide bomber in Syria. Since there was no enough evidence, the case was once again closed.
Despite that, Mateen was able to buy an AR-15-style assault rifle on June 4. He also had with him a Glock model 17 9mm and a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver.
Based on investigations, Mateen used one of his Facebook accounts to search the local police departments and FBI. He also searched San Bernadino shooters and a local gun range. Before the massacre, Mateen posted about his On Sunday before the massacre, he posted about his loyalty to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi saying: "May Allah accept me."
After Mateen opened fire at 2 in the morning at Pulse, he called 911 30 minutes after announcing his attack and claiming to have explosives with him. The operator at 911 then did a reverse-call to Mateen who then pledged his allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Aside from that, he also mentioned the Tsarnaev brothers who were responsible for the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013.
"During one of the 911 calls between the operator and Omar Mir Seddique Mateen, Mateen made a reference to the Tsarnaev brothers by calling them his 'homeboys.' At this point in time, all evidence collected to date shows no connection between Mateen and the Tsarnaev brothers," said Hank Shaw, head of the FBI's field office in Boston, according to NBC News.
ISIS also claimed responsibility for the attack.
