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Vigil_of_solidarity_in_the_wake_of_the_Orlando_Pulse_shooting photo by Fibonacci Blue-

Top 10 Facts about the Orlando Nightclub Shooting

The Orlando night shooting was one of the deadliest massacres that transpired on June 12, 2016, inside Pulse, a gay bar and a nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

The Pulse club was targeted by misfortune when Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old man went on a killing spree, murdering 49 innocent people who had plans to enjoy the evening but met their demise, while 53 more were injured.

The U.S has been a center prune to terrorist attacks but the Orlando nightclub shooting was something that shook the world to its core at the horrors unleashed by toxic ideologies.

Here are the top 10 facts about the Orlando Nightclub Shooting

1. The perpetrator was a licensed security Guard

The Orlando shooting was one of the deadliest incidents in the history of terrorist attacks and violence against LGBT people in the United States.

The culprit Omar Mateen was not only a bodybuilder but a security guard who had dreams and aspirations of becoming a police officer.

Mateen Worked as a security guard and was given the role by G4S Security on September 10, 2007.

The G4S company was shocked to find an employee of theirs could subject innocent lives to such a fate.

They claimed they did a background check before they hired him going as far as administering an assessment called the security officer profile, which is meant to determine an individual potential as a security officer.

It is unfortunate to see the crime committed by one individual who was even a licensed security officer according to the Florida State records.

2. There was a significant increase in gun sales after the shooting

It’s no shock that after a mass public shooting, it’s typically followed by a spike in gun sales as well as stricter gun control.

The Orlando night shooting magnified the fears of the mass and the faith in the police force dwindled.

 It was unbelievable how a single-handed man could take away so many lives in such a brief evening.

The citizen of Orlando took safety into their hands and in the weeks that followed the June mass shooting, Florida gun shops were flooded with applications for background checks reaching an all-time monthly high and becoming the third highest record nationwide.

 3. The shooter was able to make a quick call to a news channel

NYC_Morning_News_Shows_and_visit_to_NYPD_HQ photo by NYC Morning News-

The shooter was truly an eccentric individual, surrounded by an air of tragedy and chaos he was still able to make a call to News 12 of Orlando identifying himself as the shooter.

He described his acts live on audio attributing his crimes on behalf of ISIS, the notorious terrorist group as he spoke rapidly in Arabic.

He justified his crime and believed it was to serve as a counterattack to all the U.S led bombing strikes in Iraq that killed many lives.

4. The perpetrator was able to post on Facebook before the shooting

The shooter of the Orlando nightclub was an extremist and just before he carried out his transgression, ABC and Fox news claim that he posted on one of his Facebook accounts on the morning of the attack but was later taken down by the Facebook team.

In his post, he stated, “you kill innocent women and children by doing us airstrikes, now taste vengeance”.

The post though deleted was uncovered by the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental affairs.

5. The shooter was under the FBI radar

Director_Provides_Update_on_Orlando_Shootings_Investigation photo by Federal Bureau of Investigation-

The FBI director James Comey stated that Mateen had been investigated in 2013 and again in 2014.

Mateen claimed to be associated with terrorist groups Al_ Qaida and Hezbollah, making him a target of a 10-month inquiry that tried to dig anything that tied him to more substantial threats.

He was then placed on the watch list when the investigation commenced and taken off when it closed in March 2014.

He caught the FBI’s radar in July 2014, when he was investigated with possible ties to Moner Migamed Abu _Salah, a U.S citizen from Florida who blew himself up in a 2014 suicide attack in Syria.

6. The gunshots were thought to be firecrackers

When the innocent crowd gathered at the Orlando nightclub heard the shooting, they thought it was firecrackers or sought music which could have been an entertainment element of the famous nightclub but they would find it was anything but that.

After the shooter shot a couple of rounds many people were sent into shock and confusion upon the realization their lives were in danger.

7. The Perpetrator’s wife was put to trial

Noor Salman, the wife of the Pulse nightclub shooter, Omar Mateen faced charges of obstruction and providing material support for a terrorist organization.

Investigators found Mateen went to an unspecified Walt Disney World Theme park with his wife to scoop an area ideal for an attack.

She accompanied the shooter days before the shooting to purchase ammunition but she claimed she was taking her child elsewhere to buy toys.

She was held in jail awaiting trial after her arrest in California, five months after the massacre.

Though the FBI interrogated her, the interrogation went untapped and jurors felt she had vague foreknowledge of her husband’s intentions as she had not seen or heard any definitive evidence.

On March 30, 2018, an Orlando jury found her not guilty as there was no evidentiary proof linking her to the Orlando nightclub shooting.

8. An Orlando cop was hailed as a hero

On the night the Orlando shooting took place, Adam Gruler, a police officer was clocking in for working off duty at the Pulse nightclub.

Gruler exchanged gunfire with the shooter but ended up retreating when he realized he was outgunned and called for backup.

Gruler was hailed as a hero by many but also blamed by some for his failure to prevent the shooter from entering the Pulse nightclub.

Gruler was addressed as a hero by local officials and attended the State of the Union address as an honored guest.

9. The perpetrator was homophobic

Solidarity_with_LGBT_Orlando after the shooting photo by Alisdare Hickson-

The Orlando massacre perpetrator Mateen was believed to have been homophobic and experts believed that might have been a drive to carry out his crime.

His father was quoted saying that he had seen his son express anger on seeing two gay couples kissing Infront of his family at the Bayside Marketplace in Miami months before the attack.

A colleague at his workplace described him as making frequent homophobic comments.

It’s believed by many that his homophobic ideologies might be the reason why he chose the Orlando nightclub despite the FBI pointing otherwise.

10. Several Orlando police officers were sued over their slow response

Orlando_police_SWAT photo by Orlando Police Department-

The Orlando nightclub shooting saw the death of 50 individuals, leaving many mourning the loss of their loved ones.

The lawsuit listed 30 Orlando police officers including Adam Gruler, who was once hailed a hero, for failing in their duties and allowing 49 lives of innocent civilians to be massacred before killing the shooter.

Solomon Radner, attorney for one of the victims gave a statement indicating the failures of the police officers at the scene.

“While people, unarmed, innocent were inside a club getting massacred by a crazed gunman there were a bunch of people with guns and the training to take out the shooter “.