Omar Mateen and the 2016 Pulse Nightclub Massacre
Background
Omar Mir Seddique Mateen was an American security guard who carried out the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 12, 2016. Mateen was born in New Hyde Park, New York, on November 16, 1986, and grew up in a family of Afghan descent. At the time of the massacre, he was 29 years old and lived in Fort Pierce, Florida, approximately 120 miles southeast of Orlando.
Mateen worked for the private security company G4S Secure Solutions beginning in 2007. His employment allowed him to carry firearms while performing certain security duties. He possessed Florida security-officer and firearms licenses and had no criminal convictions that legally prevented him from purchasing guns.
People who knew Mateen provided conflicting descriptions of him. Some former coworkers described him as aggressive, prejudiced, and prone to angry outbursts. His former wife said he had been controlling and physically abusive during their marriage. Mateen later remarried and had a young son.
Previous FBI Investigations
The Federal Bureau of Investigation examined Mateen twice before the Pulse attack. In 2013, coworkers reported that he had made inflammatory comments and claimed connections to terrorist organizations. FBI agents interviewed him, conducted surveillance, reviewed his records, and used confidential informants during an investigation that lasted approximately ten months. Investigators were unable to substantiate his claims, and the inquiry was closed.
Mateen came to the FBI's attention again in 2014 because he had known Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, a Florida resident who traveled to Syria and died while carrying out a suicide bombing. Investigators determined that Mateen's contact with Abu-Salha had been limited and found no evidence that Mateen was involved in terrorist planning. He was not under active investigation when he attacked Pulse in 2016.
Preparation for the Attack
In the days before the massacre, Mateen legally purchased a SIG Sauer MCX semiautomatic rifle and a Glock 17 9mm semiautomatic pistol from a firearms dealer in Florida. He also obtained ammunition. Both firearms were later recovered after the nightclub attack.
Investigators determined that Mateen researched locations in the Orlando area before selecting Pulse. Evidence presented during later court proceedings indicated that he searched for Orlando nightclubs and traveled through the area before entering Pulse. Investigators did not establish that he had been directed by the Islamic State or any other foreign terrorist organization. The attack was treated as an act of terrorism carried out by a self-radicalized individual.
The Pulse Nightclub
Pulse was an LGBTQ nightclub located at 1912 South Orange Avenue in Orlando, Florida. During the late hours of June 11 and the early morning of June 12, 2016, the club was holding its popular Latin Night. Hundreds of patrons were inside the building, and many were members of Orlando's Latino and LGBTQ communities.
The nightclub contained a main dance floor, a smaller dance area known as the Adonis room, a stage, dressing areas, bathrooms, a lobby, and an outdoor patio. Loud music, flashing lights, crowded rooms, and the building's confined layout contributed to confusion when the attack began.
The Shooting Begins
At approximately 2:02 a.m. on June 12, 2016, Mateen entered Pulse carrying the SIG Sauer rifle and Glock pistol. He began firing inside the crowded club, initially directing gunfire toward people on and near the dance floor. Patrons attempted to escape through exits, hide behind furniture, take cover in dressing areas, or barricade themselves inside bathrooms.
An off-duty Orlando police officer working security at the nightclub exchanged gunfire with Mateen. Additional officers arrived within minutes and also confronted him. During the initial police response, some patrons escaped through doors and windows. An employee created an opening in a patio fence that allowed additional people to flee.
Mateen eventually moved toward the nightclub's bathrooms, where numerous patrons were hiding. He entered one of the bathroom areas and took survivors hostage. Police contained him inside the building while emergency personnel began treating and transporting people who had escaped.
Calls and Negotiations
At approximately 2:22 a.m., Mateen called 911 and identified himself as the attacker. During the call, he pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State group. He also referred to the Boston Marathon bombers and to Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha.
Mateen later spoke with police negotiators by telephone. He said the attack was retaliation for American military operations in Iraq and Syria, including an airstrike that had killed Islamic State commander Abu Waheeb. He demanded that the United States stop bombing areas controlled by the organization.
During the negotiations, Mateen claimed that he possessed explosives and threatened to place explosive devices on hostages. Authorities found no functioning bombs or explosive vests inside the nightclub. His claims nevertheless complicated the police response because officers had to consider the possibility that he could detonate explosives or kill the people trapped with him.
Hostage Crisis
For approximately three hours, survivors remained trapped inside Pulse. Some concealed themselves beneath bodies or crowded into bathroom stalls. Others quietly contacted relatives, police dispatchers, and emergency services by telephone or text message. Several victims sent final messages to family members while the standoff continued.
Police officers entered parts of the building and removed injured patrons when they could do so without exposing additional people to Mateen's gunfire. Emergency medical workers established treatment areas outside the club, and many wounded survivors were transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center, located only a short distance from Pulse.
Authorities later determined that some victims were shot during the hostage period rather than during the attack's opening minutes. Investigations into the police response examined the challenges officers faced, including poor visibility, the crowded building, locked or blocked doors, conflicting information, and Mateen's threats concerning explosives.
Final Police Assault
Shortly before 5:00 a.m., police commanders decided to breach the building after concluding that hostages faced an immediate danger. Officers used an armored vehicle and explosive charges in an effort to break through an exterior wall near the bathrooms. The first attempt did not create an opening large enough for a rescue, but a second breach allowed several hostages to escape.
Mateen emerged from the damaged area and exchanged gunfire with members of the Orlando Police Department's SWAT team. At approximately 5:14 a.m. on June 12, officers shot and killed him. Eleven officers participated in the final exchange. One officer was struck in the helmet by a bullet but survived.
Mateen was found with the rifle, pistol, and additional ammunition. Police also searched his vehicle and recovered more ammunition and a revolver that had not been used during the massacre.
Casualties
Mateen murdered 49 people at Pulse. Fifty-three other people suffered gunshot wounds, and several additional survivors were injured while escaping. The victims ranged from 18 to 50 years old. Many were Puerto Rican or members of other Latino communities, reflecting the nightclub's Latin Night celebration.
At the time, the Pulse massacre was the deadliest mass shooting committed by a single gunman in modern United States history. It was also the deadliest terrorist attack in the country since September 11, 2001, and the deadliest known act of violence directed against an LGBTQ gathering in United States history. The mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas surpassed its death toll in 2017.
Victims Killed at Pulse Nightclub
- Stanley Almodovar III, 23 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Amanda Alvear, 25 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Oscar A. Aracena-Montero, 26 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Martin Benitez Torres, 33 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Antonio D. Brown, 30 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Darryl R. Burt II, 29 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Simon A. Carrillo Fernandez, 31 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Juan Chavez-Martinez, 25 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Luis D. Conde, 39 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Cory J. Connell, 21 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Tevin E. Crosby, 25 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Franky J. Dejesus Velazquez, 50 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Deonka D. Drayton, 32 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Mercedez M. Flores, 26 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Juan R. Guerrero, 22 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Paul T. Henry, 41 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Frank Hernandez, 27 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Miguel A. Honorato, 30 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Jason B. Josaphat, 19 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Eddie J. Justice, 30 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Anthony L. Laureano Disla, 25 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Christopher A. Leinonen, 32 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Brenda L. Marquez McCool, 49 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Jean C. Mendez Perez, 35 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Akyra Monet Murray, 18 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Kimberly Morris, 37 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Jean C. Nieves Rodriguez, 27 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Luis O. Ocasio-Capo, 20 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Christopher J. Sanfeliz, 24 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Shane E. Tomlinson, 33 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Luis S. Vielma, 22 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
- Jerald A. Wright, 31 — killed June 12, 2016, at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
Investigation of Mateen's Motive
Mateen's statements during the attack showed that he wanted his actions associated with the Islamic State and presented the massacre as retaliation for American military operations overseas. The Islamic State later described him as one of its fighters, but investigators found no evidence that the organization had communicated with him, trained him, financed him, or helped plan the attack.
The location of the massacre also led to extensive discussion about whether hatred of LGBTQ people influenced Mateen's decision. His father initially said Mateen had previously become angry after seeing two men kissing. Other reports claimed Mateen had visited gay clubs or used gay dating applications before the shooting. The FBI examined those claims but said it was unable to substantiate many of them.
Evidence disclosed during the later trial of Mateen's wife indicated that he searched for several Orlando entertainment locations and may not have selected Pulse until shortly before the attack. Investigators concluded that his precise combination of motives could not be determined with certainty. His extremist statements, anger over American military actions, personal instability, and the identity of the community attacked all remained central subjects of the investigation.
Investigation of Noor Salman
Mateen's wife, Noor Salman, was arrested in January 2017. Federal prosecutors accused her of providing material support to a terrorist organization and obstructing justice. They alleged that she knew about Mateen's intentions and helped him inspect potential targets.
Salman pleaded not guilty. During her 2018 federal trial, defense attorneys argued that Mateen had concealed his plan from her and that her statements to investigators had been produced during a long and coercive interrogation. Evidence also raised questions about portions of the government's original timeline, including the allegation that Salman had accompanied Mateen while he examined Pulse before the massacre.
On March 30, 2018, a federal jury acquitted Salman of both charges. No other person was convicted of helping Mateen carry out the Pulse attack.
Community Impact and Remembrance
The massacre devastated Orlando's LGBTQ and Latino communities. Vigils were held throughout Florida and across the world. Thousands of people donated blood, money, food, and other assistance to survivors and the victims' families. The names and photographs of the 49 victims became central to public memorials and annual remembrance ceremonies.
Pulse became a symbol of both the violence directed at LGBTQ people and the solidarity shown after the attack. The nightclub property was later acquired by the City of Orlando for the development of a permanent public memorial. June 12 continues to be observed as Pulse Remembrance Day in Orlando and in other communities.
Death of Omar Mateen
Omar Mateen died on June 12, 2016, after being shot by Orlando police during the final confrontation at Pulse. His autopsy documented multiple gunshot wounds. He was later buried at the Muslim Cemetery of South Florida near Hialeah Gardens, Florida.
Because Mateen was killed at the scene, he never faced criminal prosecution. The federal, state, and local investigations instead focused on reconstructing his preparation, determining whether anyone had assisted him, studying the police and emergency response, and documenting the experiences of the victims and survivors.
Legacy of the Massacre
The Pulse nightclub attack remains one of the deadliest mass shootings in United States history. It prompted renewed debates concerning domestic terrorism, firearm access, emergency police tactics, discrimination against LGBTQ people, and the process through which individuals become radicalized without direct orders from an established terrorist organization.
The lasting historical focus, however, has increasingly shifted away from Mateen and toward the 49 people he murdered, the survivors who endured the attack, and the families and communities permanently affected by the events of June 12, 2016.
