Florida gunman who killed 50 pledged allegiance to ISIS leader
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Orlando Police officers direct family members away from a multiple shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla, early this morning.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
FBI, Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office personnel investigate the attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando Fla.today. (Craig Rubadoux/Florida Today via AP)
MYSPACE VIA AP
This undated image shows Omar Mateen, who authorities say killed dozens of people inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., today. The gunman opened fire inside the crowded gay nightclub before dying in a gunfight with SWAT officers, police said.
THE TAMPA BAY TIMES VIA AP
People grieve outside a Hampton Inn & Suites hotel, which turned into a hub for families and friends waiting to hear about loved ones because of its proximity to the Orlando Regional Medical Center, in the wake of a mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., today.
THE TAMPA BAY TIMES VIA AP
EMS first response personnel are seen outside a Hampton Inn & Suites hotel, which turned into a hub for families and friends waiting to hear about loved ones because of its proximity to the Orlando Regional Medical Center, in the wake of a mass shooting that took place the prior night in Orlando, Fla., today.
ORLANDO, Fla. » It had been an evening of drinking, dancing and drag shows. After hours of revelry, the party-goers crowding the gay nightclub known as the Pulse took their last sips before the place closed.
That’s when authorities say Omar Mateen emerged, carrying an AR-15 and spraying the helpless crowd with bullets. Witnesses said he fired relentlessly — 20 rounds, 40, then 50 and more. In such tight quarters, the bullets could hardly miss. He shot at police. He took hostages.
When the gunfire finally stopped, 50 people were dead and dozens more were critically wounded in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Mateen, who law enforcement officials said had pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a 911 call around the time of the attack, died in a gun battle with SWAT team members.
Authorities immediately began investigating whether the assault was an act of terrorism and probing the background of Mateen, a 29-year-old American citizen from Fort Pierce, Florida, who had worked as a security guard. The gunman’s father recalled that his son recently got angry when he saw two men kissing in Miami and said that might be related to the assault.
Thirty-nine of the dead were killed at the club, and 11 people died at hospitals, Mayor Buddy Dyer said.
Jon Alamo had been dancing at the Pulse for hours when he wandered into the club’s main room just in time to see the gunman. “You ever seen how Marine guys hold big weapons, shooting from left to right? That’s how he was shooting at people,” he said.
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“My first thought was, oh my God, I’m going to die,” Alamo said. “I was praying to God that I would live to see another day.”
Pulse patron Eddie Justice texted his mother, Mina: “Mommy I love you. In club they shooting.” About 30 minutes later, hiding in a bathroom, he texted her: “He’s coming. I’m gonna die.” As Sunday wore on, she awaited word on his fate.
At least 53 people were hospitalized, most in critical condition, and a surgeon at Orlando Regional Medical Center said the death toll was likely to climb.
The previous deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. was the 2007 attack at Virginia Tech, where a student killed 32 people before killing himself.
Mateen’s family was from Afghanistan, and he was born in New York. His family later moved to Florida, authorities said.
His ex-wife, Sitora Yusufiy, told reporters that her former husband was bipolar and “mentally unstable.”
Mateen was short-tempered and had a history with steroids, she said in remarks televised from Boulder, Colorado. She described him as religious but not radical. He wanted to be a police officer and applied to a police academy, but she had no details.
The couple was together for only four months, and the two had no contact for the last seven or eight years, she said.
A law enforcement official said the gunman made a 911 call from the club in which he professed allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The official was familiar with the investigation, but was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The extremist group did not officially claim responsibility for the attack, but the IS-run Aamaq news agency cited an unnamed source as saying the attack was carried out by an Islamic State fighter.
Even if the attacker supported IS, it was unclear whether the group planned or knew of the attack beforehand.
Mateen was not unknown to law enforcement: In 2013, he made inflammatory comments to co-workers and was interviewed twice, according to FBI agent Ronald Hopper, who called the interviews inconclusive. In 2014, Hopper said, officials found that Mateen had ties to an American suicide bomber, but the agent described the contact as minimal, saying it did not constitute a threat at the time.
Asked if the gunman had a connection to radical Islamic terrorism, Hopper said authorities had “suggestions that individual has leanings towards that.”
Mateen purchased at least two firearms legally within the last week or so, according to Trevor Velinor of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
In a separate incident, an Indiana man armed with three assault rifles and chemicals used to make explosives was arrested Sunday in Southern California and told police he was headed to a Los Angeles-area gay pride parade.
The Orlando shooting started about 2 a.m., with more than 300 people inside the Pulse.
“He had an automatic rifle, so nobody stood a chance,” said Jackie Smith, who saw two friends next to her get shot. “I just tried to get out of there.”
At 2:09 a.m., Pulse posted on its Facebook page: “Everyone get out of Pulse and keep running.”
Club-goer Rob Rick said the shooting started just as “everybody was drinking their last sip.”
When he heard shots, Rick dropped to the ground and crawled toward a DJ booth. A bouncer knocked down a partition between the club area and an area where only workers were allowed. People were then able to escape through the back of the club.
Mateen exchanged gunfire with 14 police officers at the club, and took hostages at one point. In addition to the assault rifle, the shooter also had a handgun and some sort of “suspicious device,” the police chief said. About 5 a.m., authorities sent in a SWAT team to rescue the remaining club-goers, Police Chief John Mina said.
At first, officers mistakenly thought the gunman had strapped explosives to the dead after a bomb robot sent back images of a battery part next to a body, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said. That prevented paramedics from going in until authorities determined the battery was something that fell out of an exit sign or a smoke detector, he said.
The robot was sent in after SWAT team members put explosive charges on a wall and an armored vehicle knocked it down in an effort to rescue hostages.
Just before 6 a.m., the Pulse posted an update on its Facebook: “As soon as we have any information, we will update everyone. Please keep everyone in your prayers as we work through this tragic event. Thank you for your thoughts and love.”
Authorities were looking into whether the shooter acted alone, according to Danny Banks, an agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
“This is an incident, as I see it, that we certainly classify as domestic terror incident,” Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said.
Mateen’s father, Mir Seddique, told NBC News about his son seeing the men kissing a couple of months ago.
“We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident,” Seddique said. “We are in shock like the whole country.”
Mateen was a security guard with a company called G4S. In a 2012 newsletter, the firm identified him as working in West Palm Beach. In a statement sent Sunday to the Palm Beach Post, the company confirmed that he had been an employee since September 2007. State records show that Mateen had held a firearms license since at least 2011.
President Barack Obama called the shooting an “act of terror” and an “act of hate” targeting a place of “solidarity and empowerment” for gays and lesbians. He urged Americans to decide whether this is the kind of “country we want to be.”
Authorities said they had secured a van owned by the suspect outside the club. Meanwhile, a SWAT truck and a bomb-disposal unit were on the scene of an address associated with Mateen in Fort Pierce, about 120 miles southeast of Orlando.
Across the country, police departments stepped up patrols in neighborhoods frequented by the LGBT community.
___
Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington, Terrance Harris, Jason Dearen and Tamara Lush in Orlando and photographer Alan Diaz in Fort Pierce, Florida, contributed to this report.
181 responses to “Florida gunman who killed 50 pledged allegiance to ISIS leader”
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A good reason for the military to open the Combat Lifesaver’s Course to civilians. It’s probably going to be another regular civilian who first gets to the victims rather than a trained first responder. If you can stop, or at least slow down the bleeding, you could save someone’s life.
If people would have jumped the shooter he could have only shot a few.
Yeah, I agree, but that goes against what are most people’s natural reactions (to stay alive). You have to have that attack mindset in the back of your head even before anything happens.
Then, you are dealing with people you’ve never worked with before, and quite possibly never met. The old “Volunteers take one step forward” and everyone but you takes one step back is always a fear.
Remember what HE says, gun control and don’t profile–it’s against the law!!
In this case don’t think that would matter. If he had an AK-47 or M-16 converted to fully automatic and was proficient in changing mags, rushing the shooter would have only increased his kill count because a spray of high velocity bullets from his machine gun would just tear through more people rushing at him.
Better to go fighting than on you knees
Also, they had been partying and drinking. It must have almost seemed surreal at first and they wouldn’t be able to think clearly.
Another murdered with so many signs that pointed to trouble waiting to happen.
really? its that simple?
Sure it is. Don’t you read the comments here written by people who have never done anything like that and have probably never been in a combat situation? Just rush the gunman. It’s easy!
Sadly, yes.
Does anyone remember the gunman who began firing a rifle at the White House a few years back? He was stopped when two civilians rushed him and tackled him to the ground. In this shooting, it sounds like the killer had around three hours to murder until SWAT got to him.
Allaha, it takes a few seconds to eject and reload a magazine of ammo. When the first magazine was emptied, I believe the club’s gay patrons were more concerned with trying to find cover behind their purses than to overpower the terrorist.
He was on the terrorist radar by the FBI three times, yet passed the FBI investigation when he purchased the guns, AND, the same for the Charleston church shooter. So, we have the laws in place, but it begs the question: who the heck is in charge??? Certainly not Obama?????? That darn Bush again!!!
Did Trump approve this message? Now if everyone had guns there would have been more dead.
Not so.
“The best way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun”.
~~ Wayne LaPierre (executive vice president of the National Rifle Association)
And what are we going to do, let a bunch of drunks in a bar carry guns? Maybe security should have a gun but not the patrons that are drinking.
Only if you believe a bunch of armed drunks constitute a good guy.
The gambit known as ‘reductio ad absurdum’ can be effective in the hands of a skilled practitioner.
Now admittedly you have the ‘absurdum’ down cold, but your ‘reductio’ needs work.
And guess what month this is.
One radio report a few hours ago identified this place as a “homosexual club”. Why no mention of this in this AP newspaper story? Here it is blandly called “ a nightclub in central Florida”. What are the editors afraid of? Are they intent on PRESENTING the news or PREVENTING it from reaching the public? After all this is LGBT Pride Month, right?
??? From the article: The suspect exchanged gunfire with an officer working at the gay club known as Pulse around 2 a.m., when more than 300 people were inside.
Good news though is that it doesn’t appear that Zimmerman was involved.
A reported muslum registered democrat….you have something in common.
How in the world does Keonigohan conclude that the killer was a registered Democrat? What idiocy.
@whs1966 …dig deep & get informed
Registered democrat. Multiple news sources.
In international news it said the place advertised itself as “hottest homosexual club” in Orlando, and the shooter was a Muslim with Afghanistan roots. Such is nowadays immigration.
Yeah, a news outlet that would identify a gay club as “homosexual” is certain to be a credible source for other details.
This guy was born in America, so he was a naturalized citizen. Seems like his unstable mental state is was caused his inspiration to ISIS more than anything else. Since he was a security guard, he was licensed to carry the assault style weapon that he used in the attack. In addition to being homophobic, he also used to beat his wife that led to his divorce, so he had anger management issues too. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a restraining order against him before.
krusha, if he is born in America, and the suspect was born in New York, he is automatically an American citizen. I get your point though, The guy sounds like a nut case.
AHA!
So THAT explains it.
I was wondering why the authorities were dancing around an obvious hate crime but refusing to call it a hate crime and during LGBT pride month, no less.
Just as blacks cannot ever possibly be racist, muslims cannot commit hate crimes.
According to our drive by “news” media it is now a matter of settled wisdom that only white male Christians can commit hate crimes.
krusha says: Since he was a security guard, he was licensed to carry the assault style weapon that he used in the attack.
krusha would you please advise SPECIFICALLY what you mean by the term “assault style weapon”? Is it in your view a matter of form or function?
Thank you.
Site of the new PRO BOWL. Yes Hawaii is a really safe place in terms of guns and nuts.
Yup…I’m glad I don’t live there….
Does it matter to you?
Right, latest Inspire Magazine encourages lone wolf attack during month of Ramadan.
Yes kekela, it’s Pride Month. Hate Crime.
Why is are these weapons legal?
According to sources at the scene, the scum was wearing a suicide vest too. This wasn’t just some yahoo with a rifle. He would have gotten a firearm even if they were all illegal.
Also, at the very beginning, there was a cop in the club that engaged the shooter, but couldn’t stop him.
Unsurprisingly, a UK paper, The Daily Mail, has a better write up than American media.
You’re right. When I want more info, I go to The Daily Mail, a lot more info than American newspapers. It even prints photos.
“these weapons”?
Please clarify.
Do you believe law abiding citizens should have their legally obtained semi-automatic rifles confiscated?
Fully automatic weapons have been off limits to civilians since 1934. You are aware of that, right?
machine guns, fully auto firearms, are highly regulated. illegal in most states, but allowed under federal law. many civilians own them.
That should be changed!
If memory serves it used to be that only a federally licensed firearms dealer could legally possess a fully automatic weapon. Has that changed and, if so, when did the change occur?
Federally, they are allowed but each state has the right to chose whether they will be banned. Hawaii is one of the few states prohibiting ownership of fully automatic weapons. Just about any citizen can legally get a fully automatic machine gun as long as they can find a seller holding a valid certificate and is willing to sell/transfer the certificate to the new owner whom also will have to pass ATF and FBI background checks prior to being permitted to own a fully automatic machine gun.
Yeah, we need more gun laws. Terrorists always obey the law.
Yup…I’m sure if we outlaw guns then the terrorists will turn in their guns also…..lol
Updated fatality count is at least 50.
‘Islamic extremist’ Omar Mateen, 29, from Florida, shoots dead at least 50…
And our fool Obama is still afraid to use the word “Muslim” terrorism.
FACT: Obama’s father was a Muslim.
FACT: Islam permits lying to deceive unbelievers and bring world domination so Obama can lie through his teeth about love and peace while allowing his Muslim brothers into the country as they sneak through with all the illegal Mexicans crossing the Southern border.
Fact.dragon water is the #1 obama troll.
Dragoninwater, you are sick
dragon is right . Immigration from Mexico is bad and from Islamic countries even worse and Obama condones violent Islam by not mentioning it.
NanakuliBoss, what? First comment I made about Obama anywhere on SA comments and you call me a Obama troll? Either you have me confused with someone else or you must be another illegal Mexican upset that I keep throwing facts out to expose criminals.
Vector, sick? What FACTs do you want to dispute? Did I trigger your nerves because you support criminal activity by encouraging illegal Mexican criminals to cross the border? Poor you, I hope the feds arrest you and deport you one day.
The massacre is not Obama’s fault. It is the evil hate against Gay people you have in your heart
Dragoninwater, quite impugning that anyone who questions your posts, must be an illegal mexican. I was born in Hawaii and lived here my entire life, and have a genuine Aloha for Hawaii, it’s people and our country
Vector, which president let them in? Come on Vector, tell us which US President’s father converted from Christianity to Islam? Come on Vector, you can do it, I know you have it in you to let us know there is only 1 US president. Please, lay down your bong and don’t touch the tamales next to you and tell us the name of the one US president that has birthright Islam ties.
Draboninwater, hate speech and hate propaganda can be very effective for mass murder and genocide. Hitler, the Nazis, and their Christian evangelical supporters in Germany exterminated millions of people. Now, we have ISIS also brainwashing it’s followes with hateful led religious propaganda. The Christian religious right has the same antipathy toward gays and spreads the same anti-gay propaganda and violence and killing of gays
This guy did not sneak in from anywhere. You are just weird!
>> at 9:57 am Vector said: . Dragoninwater, you are sick
>> at 10:56 am Vector said: . The massacre is not Obama’s fault. It is the evil hate against Gay people you have in your heart
>> at at 11:38 am Vector said: . we have ISIS also brainwashing it’s followes [sic] with hateful led religious propaganda. The Christian religious right has the same antipathy toward gays..
And now consider this pearl:
>> at 11:16 am Vector said: . Dragoninwater, … I was born in Hawaii and lived here my entire life, and have a genuine Aloha for Hawaii, it’s people and our country.
“genuine Aloha” ~~ so THAT’S what it means. Whodathunkit?
Condolences to the victims and their families.
Well, at least Barry is getting away from using the term “work place violence” and needs to stand up and say what it is, Islamic terrorism.
Watch gun stocks skyrocket tomorrow. I can hear people ordering their AR’s and AK’s right now.
scuddrunner: Actually you’re right but the truth of the matter is, it doesn’t matter if a person is well armed at home because this country has too many nuts running around and are willing to die no matter what, and the difficult part about it is to know when these idiots will go off on a rampage. These shootings are unexpected and it could happen anywhere when people least expect it to happen and that’s the problem people will be facing everyday. It’s sad but something must be done to prevent such killings and really, does anyone have the solution? Not when these killings are unexpected, people at the wrong place at the wrong time. Just feel so sorry for the victims and their families, when idiots for no reason kill innocent people.
something must be done to prevent such killings and really, does anyone have the solution?
One suspects there is no single “the” solution, but there are some things that might help mitigate the severity of the problem:
>> re-institute the preventive ‘stop-question-frisk’ measures Rudy Giuliani had the NYPD implement 22 years ago to clean up the sewer known as NYC that had been left to by the former mayor, David Dinkins.
>> profile the hell out of even mildly suspicious characters.
>> turn a deaf ear to those professional whiners who bore everyone within earshot to tears about how their “rights” – – all too often rights that were provided to them by the sacrifice of OTHERS – – are at risk of being violated.
>> make successful completion of the NRA fire arms safety course – – including live fire range qualification using both pistols and rifles – – mandatory for a high school diploma so our young people do not get their fire arms “education” from watching re-runs of Rambo and such like.
>> quit celebrating “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, grumbling about Nurse Rachet and bring back the much needed asylums where mentally troubled peopled could find safe haven.
>> quit whining about the so called “rights” of aimless bums who liked to be called “homeless” to identify their phony “victim” status and bring back vagrancy laws.
Thos, your attitude toward gays and homosexuals, are nearly identical to the Orlando mass murderer’s views towards gays and nomosexuals.
Oh right.
You are the person with all that “Aloha”.
Do you have the first clue how silly you make yourself look?
CCW
What a way to cap off Orlando’s Pro Bowl announcement.
This massacre is going to rightfully set back Orlando’s tourist industry big time and will take a while to recover. If this is Islamic terrorism they have found a new soft target in Orlando and just one or two terrorist with a high power rifle like an AK-47 or M-16 that has been illegally converted to full automatic with some explosive devices would easily kill hundreds of people at the entrance of Disneyworld or Epcot Center just before it opens. Outside because the terrorists would not be screened yet.
Even if only 1% of Muslims are potentially violent the country should outlaw Islam, or at least not more coming..
Then let’s be evenhanded and outlaw Judaism too, because illegal West Bank settlers murder Palestinians.
And don’t even get me started on Christianity. Why don’t we just outlaw all religions, because a tiny fringe minority in every one of them perpetrates abominations in the name of religion.
Golly his name was Omar, not Peter, Paul or John. What a surprise.
Using Allaha’s logic, we should prevent all Catholic priests from having any contact with youngsters…and prevent the church from ordaining any more priests.
Roger that, Hahabatadays. Let’s remember that the Judo-Christian-Muslim tradition springs from a common wellspring of hatred and murder. These people have been killing each other for well over 3,000 years. One need only read Genesis to know that as the Israelites wandered in the desert searching for the promised land, Yahweh commanded Moses to kill or enslave the unfortunate people in community after community, justifying the injustices as Yahwey’s commandments after “God hardened the hearts” of the non-Jews. The world would be better off if all religions were extinguished. After all, one person’s religion is another person’s mythology. There is no more proof to justify the beliefs of today’s religions than there is for the ancient Mesopotamian, Greek, or Roman religions.
The perpetrator was a sick hater who beat his wife. He latched on to the ISIS propaganda because it justified his hatred. The root cause of these acts is a self loathing that is projected outwards. Religion is just an excuse.
Checked murderpedia and there are dozens of murderers named Peter, Paul and John.
HanabataDays says: Why don’t we just outlaw all religions,
Any stick with which to beat the dog with, eh Hanabata?
You must find both first and second amendments to be SUCH a bother, poor ting.
Heinrich Himmler had a gift for picking out – – and then promoting – – such resentful “talent” as you seem to possess in his Schutzstaffel [SS, literally “Protection Squadron”] paramilitary organization that was so important advancing the interests of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, NSDAP)
Was the Assault Rifle, a fully automatic rifle, with a bayonet lug attachment, used to kill or wound innocent people ?
Was the Fully Automatic Assault Rifle legally registered and licensed to a US Citizen ?
These facts (if they are) must be made known to everyone.
Was the suicide vest Abercrombie and Fitch or Burberry?
People have a right to know.
AR’s are easily converted in to full auto……You Tube it.
Aside from the legal issues, it requires machining the receiver to accept an auto sear (a BIG job), replacing the entire trigger mechanism, installing a full-auto bolt carrier, and perhaps a few other small tasks. More knowledgeable people than me have stated that is easier to build a machinegun from scratch than to convert a semi-auto. This is only physically possible if you are an expert machinist with a well-equipped workshop. Don’t even mention aftermarket auto sears, same problem and they are regulated. Just possession is a felony. Since all criminals and terrorists will always follow the law we have no worries right.
According to the article, Mateen purchased at least two firearms legally within the last week or so, according to Trevor Velinor of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
That means he legally acquired two SEMI automatic rifles, not FULLY automatic rifles.
The story is rife with sloppy reporting. It deliberately suggests that the shooter was armed with one or more fully automatic weapons, an assertion not backed up by any facts that have surfaced thus far.
Sloppy language that appeals to emotion not cognition is the hall mark of the gun grabbers.
The term “assault weapon” is often deliberately used to muddy the waters by those who want to ban/confiscate ALL fire arms. Anyone who uses the term “assault weapon” can thus be viewed as one who opposes the Second Amendment and judged accordingly.
Hey SA, going to be changing the headline to something more truthful, like
“Islamic terrorist kills 50 at gay nightclub during Ramadan?”
First, this isn’t an SA story. It’s by the Assoc Press. SA just picked it up. Second, the police are still investigating — give them a chance, it happened less than 24 hours ago — and there’s no definite cause identified yet. If you want more updated versions of the story, I’d check out a site like the Guardian.
The SA can and does write the headline. And the FBI already came out and said they are treating this as a terrorist event.
It’s Pride Month. You mind is foggy like the shooter.
This should serve as a wake up call to local nightclub owners. Yes, it could happen here. Perhaps, A metal detector at the entrance to the club. like the ones at Airports, would be a huge deterrent from someone entering with a weapon. A decent quality model can be had for 6 grand, maybe a little less.
How does a metal detector stop a muslim terrorist from shooting his or her way in from the front? It doesn’t. The only solution is allowing for armed front door security.
Even that didn’t work in this case. The scum was engaged by a cop but was able to get by him and assaulted directly into the club. He was also wearing an explosive vest. It was very lucky that the SWAT team was able to whack him before he was able to set it off.
How would armed front door security work against this? If someone is determined to murder people, that’s going to happen, at least briefly. If that police officer had been standing at the front door, he probably would have been the first one killed. We know this from shootings at the US Capitol building and other places.
livinginhawaii, comments, “How does a metal detector stop a muslim terrorist from shooting his or her way in from the front? It doesn’t. The only solution is allowing for armed front door security.” (Delete “muslim” from this comment to make it more accurate and sensible.)
Accurate and sensible are not words usually associated with livinginhawaii.
Rather than speculate on motivation, at this time we should focus thoughts and prayers on the victims and their families. Many are fighting for their lives, many families still have no information. Please allow empathy to be our very first reaction to this tragedy.
Mahalo for pointing out the obvious.
I still have faith that it is indeed obvious, although most of the comments so far challenge my optimism..
I’m not sure where this urge — to immediately decide who’s at fault and to demand theirs and and the heads of all associated with them head — comes from.
Have you looked into a mirror recently, Tig?
Tiger, we all tend to do it too often, myself included. When I first read this, the tragedy of 50 lives lost so needlessly just slammed me, and I reflected on the souls that were no longer with us. What we do and say each day may have meaning beyond our knowing, and I thought about how all these young people have had their chance to make a difference needlessly taken away, and it will continue to sadden me.
You are absolutely correct. Condolences to the victims and their families.
Thank you for your voice of moderation and sympathy.
After such a horrific massacre against innocent, how can you mention moderation as a response. We all feel sympathy for those killed and their families and friends. However, these massacres have happened before, people prayed, etc., but most importantly, how are we going to act to prevent this kind of hatred and murder from occurring again. More gun regulations, better and thorough gun background checks?
You’ve put another dent in the optimism I refer to above.
And speak up, post, when you see posts that are anti-gay homophobia propaganda
The guy was reportedly a security guard—probably thoroughly background checked.
vector, you “speak up” all you like. D Bullfighter obviously posted “anti gay homophobic propaganda”. One hopes you’re not able to purchase weapons..
From hawaiikone down via, kiragirl, HawaiiCheeseBall to d_bullfighter, – Mahalo kids, for your thoughtful and kind comments! I’m sure, the families of the dead and wounded, appreciate your sentiments . As for this old buck, there’s hope yet of your generation will keep America united with the basic goddesses that made our country one of the greatest on earth! Have a great day for you have just made mine!
Republican politicians are tying themselves in knots trying to find a way to describe what appears to be an act of domestic terrorism directed at the LGBT community without mentioning either domestic terrorism or the LGBT community. And, of course, assault weapons must remain legal in this country because they’re needed for target practice.
More hate based on fundamentalist, extremist religious ideology, leads to this kind of terrorism, whether it is Islamic ISIS ideology or fanatical evangelical Christian ideology.
Most Republicans and evangelical Christians, like Cruz, Rubio, and Graham Jr., despise and condemned gay people, and contribute to a climate of hate and persecution of gay people.
So your conclusion is that it’s all the Republicans fault?
Not all, but the majority are anti-gay bigots. How many Republicans are standing up or promoting gay civil rights, and full equality for Gays? They are on the front lines attacking gays and spreading anti-gay propaganda for the ChristIan evangelicals
Are you the spokesman for the mosque since you are not Mexican?
Vector says: Republicans …. are on the front lines attacking gays and spreading anti-gay propaganda
Attacking?
Horsefeathers!
GOP establishment types are too gutless and timid to “attack” anything or anyone at anytime for any reason. They are terrified at the thought that someone might someday call them an unpleasant name. For example if some Democrat Party appratchik whispers “BOOGA BOOGA BOOGA – – GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN”, these gutless ersatz Republicans bolt for the nearest mouse hole from which soon appears their oft used and tattered white flag of surrender. Trying to be “nice” they always roll over and accept the blame for ANYTHING they are charged with.
No wonder The Donald has so confounded these Gutless Obsequious Pantywaist losers.
Take your prejudice and hate speech somewhere else.
Republican Lt. Gov. of Texas tweeted that they got what they deserved and then deleted the tweet, but not in time. His Christian bigotry was exposed.
No truth to your assertions about either man. Smearing them with even indirect blame for this atrocity is beyond sleazy.
Ever notice that any questioning of ANY LGBT agenda item and you get branded as a “hater, homophobe and bigot.” They try to bully you into silence. Don’t yield to their skunk-spray politics.
It is not the fault of the politically active homosexuals that our “culture” has become such a sewer and that they have been allowed to expropriate and distort such once innocent words as “gay” as euphemistic cover for what they do.
That development can be laid directly at the feet of ordinary people too timid and too apathetic to stand their ground whenever deviancy was racheted down over and over and over again. Nature and homosexuals abhor such a vacuum, so in they rushed and here we are.
Until there is substantial pushback by those whose rights are now being trampled underfoot by homosexual agenda pushers, don’t look for any return to decency, honor, and courage on the part of normal people anytime soon. They continue to be in full retreat and that is NOT the fault of the homosexuals.
200,000 gays were sent to the concentration camps by the Nazis. The most fervent supporters of the Nazis were the Christian Evangelicals, who believed the world needed to be purified from homosexuals and Jews, and other subhuman types. No, I do not hate Christianity. But Christians have promoted slavery, tortured and burnt people at the stake as witches, Catholics and Protestants battling each other during the 30 years War of Religions, promoted the Inquisition, etc.
Florida Governor has refused to say that LGBT community was the target and dodges a question about whether extra protection is being provided for LGBT communities and events.
No more sloppy language intended to muddy the waters.
Out with it:
EXACTLY what do you mean by “assault weapons”?
Horrible tragedy … My condolences to all their family and friends. May the victims RIP
“The attack has nothing to do with religion”…. How did Mr.Seddiqque,the shooters father know that? Unless he is able to read his son’s mind,he wouldn’t be here telling us that,instead he would be trying to save lives.
Yeah you know how the White House will spin this story. They’ll try to take your guns away. AGAIN! Because if it really turns out to be a Religious Islamic terrorist attack. The White House will simply shrug it off Again.Just like the Terrorist attack in….. CA. San Bernardino.
Please explain how anyone in the Obama administration has ever suggested anything about taking away guns. You won’t be able to do that of course because you’re lying, but it’s worth asking.
Nice try…. Better yet!Pay Attention to current events,stricter gun control, registration upon registration,background upon background checks all spike from the recent shootings,Targeting the NRA and of course our second amendment. Sheeasss. I thought Attorney’s crossed their “T’s’ and dotted their “I’s”??
So Instead of calling people you disagree with “Liers” ,Imbeciles, and my favorite….Racist!Just pay attention! As Yoda would say “I sense great frustration with this one”
lol, what stricter gun control, registration, etc.? It would be nice if you posted articles showing that gun control activities would actually be harmful for society, but obviously you can’t. As for the second amendment, please don’t forget that a major reason for it was to allow the south to control their slaves.
Pay attention Boots! Just this morning after the attack yours “Truly Hillary Clinton” is asking for “Stricter gun Control”. Little early for the sauce huh boots? Pay attention.
Wrong again Boots, but that is hardly a new development in your case, eh?
There is a reason for both first and second amendments: an informed, armed population with freedom to speak to assemble and to worship is much harder for a government to enslave. Now if you want to suggest that our so called “news” media do a lousy job of informing the populace, you’ll get no argument from your truly.
The second amendment was in direct response to occupying British forces and their attempts to disarm those upstart colonials who wanted independence from England and were prepared to fight to achieve it.
This seems to be more of a hate crime rather than an act of terrorism. Yeah, the guy was Muslim, but targeting a gay night club seems to be more specific to hate.
But classifying it as “terrorism” will get many government agencies more funding as well as more clampdowns on civil liberties against American citizens at home.
More hate based on fundamentalist, extremist religious ideology, leads to this kind of terrorism, whether it is Islamic ISIS ideology or fanatical evangelical Christian ideology.
You must really hate Christians.
Thos, you are one of the leaders of bigotry. You would have been a wonderful addition in Hitler’s cabinet. You are a slimmy scum bag who has no compassion for other people
If he worked there at one time, Obama would have labeled it work place violence.
If you read other online news sources, witnesses heard the shooter yell ‘allah ahkbar’ while shooting back at police which basically confirms this WAS an act of Islamic terrorism.
Liberals keep repeating that most Muslims are not violent. Same could be said of most Nazis, most would have never personally killed a Jew. But the majority does not matter, the danger is the idea behind the movement. And the Koran can be read to embrace death to America and the civilized world. We are at war with present day Islam and proof of this gets stronger by the day. Even if Trump was an i-diot, in his demand to stop Muslim immigration he is right.
Allah A, this guy was American born and raised. He was on this side of the fence. Lol.
He was a Muslim. We need a bigger fence and look to the future. Trump 2016
His parents were allowed to immigrate and the evil started with that.
You trump supporter the same guy?
Sarge, please build a bigger fence around your yard with a roof because trump will fall. Wait, that would but you in a cage.
NanakuliBoss, you’re the ultimate SA TROLL. No facts, just political mudslinging babble. Go back to Nanakuli and keep smoking your Meth, maybe you’ll have a moment of lucidity when you hit the ultimate “Yes, we can” high.
Well, it’s well known that the best thing to do is to rely completely on the first, unproven news reports issued about a major event. Make sure that no investigation has been started or completed. That always proves to be a winning strategy. Great comment!
Foxnews verified that statement and if it was wrong they would have been immediately called out about that statement. In addition Foxnews has reported the Islamic terrorist called 911 BEFORE the shooting saying that he was going to kill people because of his allegiance to ISIS.
If just two or three club patrons were armed, the death toll could have been much less.
Lol, a nightclub of drunks with guns? OK.
No fortune teller here, but I predict there were more than three armed already inside the club. Especially in Florida.
I would agree on that one, but even if they stopped the shooter and received a medal of honor for saving lives, subsequently they would be arrested, charged and jailed for having a gun in a gun free zone.
Stay out of nightclubs; why be out at that time, anyway?
Sure. Do exactly what the terrorists want. Nothing wrong with being cowards.
Sir Edmund Hillary – Seems Clinton can’t even bring herself to tell the truth about her own name. She claimed to be named after Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the first men to climb Mt. Everest. One small problem though, the explorer didn’t climb Everest until Clinton was 6 years old.
The Few, The Proud, The Marines – Very recently, Clinton claimed to have been turned down by the Marines when she applied in 1975. Washington Post fact-checkers quickly realized the absurdity that a rising legal star at the time, and soon to be wife of Bill Clinton, would drop everything and ship off with the Marines. They gave her a couple of Pinocchios for her tall tale.
Secret E-Mails – Former Secretary of State Clinton claimed her infamous private e-mail server was set up in “accordance with the rules and the regulations in effect.” A federal judge disagreed, saying Clinton “violated government policy” when she used a private server to store official State Department messages.
Benghazi – Clearly the most reprehensible lie of them all – Clinton failed to tell the truth about a terrorist attack that killed four Americans in Benghazi. She claimed for weeks, standing over the flag-draped coffins of murdered Americans, that an insensitive YouTube video had incited the violence that occurred that night. Why? Because a terrorist attack on the anniversary of 9/11 – which it was – would have destroyed President Obama’s re-election chances. But hey, at the end of the day it’s worth it to Clinton to tell a politically expedient lie, so long as her party can stay in power.
Read more: http://www.thepoliticalinsider.com/t-day-evergreen-7-wildest-lies-hillary-clinton/#ixzz4BPKCSEGw
More disinformation and distractions from the Tea Party
That’s right if you’re taking $500 out of an ATM at 4 in the morning, nothing good is going to happen.
Stop making excuses for the massacre
Go after his family with wrongful death lawsuits. Deport them all. They knew.
“Obama calls Florida mass shooting ‘an act of terror’”
“The gunman, Omar Mir Seddique Mateen, was heard shouting “Allah Akbar” while engaging officers, law enforcement sources told Fox News.”
And yet not “Islamic Act of Terror” ?
Shame on Trump for tweeting, “Is President Obama going to finally mention the words radical Islamic terrorism? If he doesn’t he should immediately resign in disgrace!” This is nothing but typical Trump racist opportunism. The real question is, how was this killer able to legally purchase these weapons, including an AR-15, when he had been on the FBI & TSA radar? Oh…the answer is that the U.S. cannot infringe on the absolute right of people to purchase weapons. What nonsense!
That’s a great question from the future President. “Is President Obama going to finally mention the words radical Islamic terrorism?” We are still waiting. At least he didn’t say it was workplace violence.
Obama suffers from “islamuenza” which is very similar to affluenza, apparently he contracted it from his Muslim father.
By your reasoning, to be consistent, he should also say that bombers of abortions clinics and killers of abortion providers are radical christian terrorists.
And shame on Texas Lt. Gov. for his tweet:
http://www.chron.com/news/article/Texas-Lt-Governor-Dan-Patrick-tweets-reap-what-8076147.php
Whs1966…he worked for GAS, a security firm…get informed before spewing stupidity. Shame on your O for NOT calling it as it is for 8 years not. You’re afflicted PCism… not a good thing.
Only goes to show that background checks can only go so far. The shooter was a licensed firearm holder in Florida, and a commissioned security guard. In other words, he was pseudo-law enforcement. He had to pass far more background checks than your typical gun buyer. Either he had a special license or it was black market.
It is idiocy not to name the source of this atrocity. That source appears to be radical Islamic thought. (The investigation hasn’t even begun, but this appears to be the case. Why is it racist (Islam isn’t a race, BTY) to accurately describe the religious motivation.
Pledging allegiance to ISIS doesn’t mean that ISIS had anything to do with this tragedy. Terrorists who bomb abortion clinics and kill doctors while they are praying in church have pledged allegiance to Jesus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMZqS7q7voY
Washington Post: “There have been eight high-profile public mass shootings since July of last year, according to a database compiled by Mother Jones magazine. Assault-style rifles were used in seven of those. In the past 10 years, assault-style rifles have been used in 14 public mass shootings. Half of those shootings have occurred since last June.”
The bad guys have them now thanks to the government. Now, we have no choice but to arm and protect ourselves.
How does a guy get a gun like this when the FBI was concerned about him 3 times. They are good for nothing until after the fact.
They can’t even pin the tail on the SOS.
A politically correct response to the massacre in Orlando by the POTUS! Prior to the assault Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS as disclosed by authorities and yet Obama refuses to accept this fact? Are we at war with iSIS? If not, why are we bombing them? Shariah law dictate the murder of those who sleep with the same sex! Also gun control advocates question how he acquired the weapons. Simple he was employed as security guard and worked in that profession for a number of years. Also since he was born in New York, he is a native born as opposed to his parents who immigrated from Afghanistan. Sad that so,many innocent had to die at this radicalized kook.
Addendum: Radicalized individuals also are found in other religions , i.e. attacks on planned parenthood establishments. Yet those that have are not referred to as Christian fanatic/terrorist. Politically we have been indoctrinated to accept the lesser harsher description as if it will be easier bear. It by no means make it easier for the survivors of the victims.
“We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident,” Seddique said. “We are in shock like the whole country.” – Oh shocked are you. Your family should be deported back to Afghanistan, if you didn’t know he was going to do something like this, you should have. Extremists views are taught by the family or the Mosque.
Muslims should not be allowed to immigrate to the US. Since there is no way to determine which Muslims may hold extremists views, all must be blocked for the safety of Americans until the war on terror subsides. How many of these extremist attacks need to occur on US soil before common sense prevails? This would not have happened if his family had not been allowed into the country in the first place.
Muslim atrocities against Americans are only going to escalate until all Muslims worldwide are extinguished.
The land of the free also contains the most mentally unstable people who are free to access guns. Need stiffer gun laws as well. Foreigners and American born are having a field day with access to weapons. Other countries don’t have as much because they instill the death penalty or harsher punishments. We just slap a lot of our perps on the wrist and say please don’t do that again. Families who know they have relatives who are unstable need to inform authorities about them. Put them in the database. If not penalize the families for any violent actions these members act on the public.
Stiffer gun laws DON’T work, arming every citizen with guns works. Case study after case study has proven this countless times. As far as punishments, I agree, the US is far too lax on punishing criminals. I’ve always advocated that violent criminals should be mandatory organ donors. Thousands of patients die every single year due to lack of liver, kidney, etc donors. It’s time we stop wasting money feeding and housing prisoners and mandate some minor restitution to society.
Just another adherent of the religion of peace who has practiced what is preached in the Koran and Haddith.
“Mateen was short-tempered and had a history with steroids, she said in remarks televised from Boulder”. I guess when you end up with pea sized testicles, you have to prove something. I am just not clear what that something was.
Why the hubbub? Wasn’t it Jimmih Swaggart himself who prayed for doom, death and destruction to fall upon Teh Gays because of their Wicked Ways?
And now that it’s happened, we’re all “those evil Muslims, those sons of perdition”. What? Wasn’t this dude an agent of Swaggart’s — er, God’s — divine will?
May God smite this wayward and sinful generation. Instead of love and concern for one another, we lift up a presidential candidate who puts money on the Communion plate, and claims his favorite Scripture is “An eye for an eye”. We despoil the earth and its treasures, leaving no inheritance for our grandchildren. We mock God’s love for us by preaching hatred for one another, by threatening and bringing destruction on each other. We do not deserve the blessings we’ve received. May we be given instead the sign of Jonah.
What are you, a maroon?
Christians may bad mouth gays and think they are going to hell, but they don’t actively try to kill them, unlike your friends in the “Religion of Peace”.
He not only pledged his allegiance to ISIS, he also pledged it to the Democrat Party.
How many Syrian refugees did Ige say he wanted to welcome to Hawaii? Our leadership is insane..
After what happened in Orlando and San Bernadino, accepting all Syrian refugees to Hawaii would not be a good idea.