A gunman stormed a gay nightclub in Florida today, killing 50 people and injuring 53 others. The lone shooter, identified as Omar Mateen, entered Orlando’s Pulse club shortly before 2am local time (6am GMT), where hundreds of revellers were partying. Armed with an assault rifle and a handgun, he then took terrified victims hostage before opening fire, showering the venue in a hail of bullets.
The father of America’s worst ever mass shooter has said his son may have been motivated by his mounting anger at seeing two men kissing in Miami.
Despite Omar Mateen pledging allegiance to Islamic State in 911 calls before the massacre, his father Mir Seddique said his son was motivated by homophobia.
The news came as it emerged Mateen had been on the FBI’s radar since 2013.
He said: “We were in Downtown Miami, Bayside, people were playing music. And he saw two men kissing each other in front of his wife and kid and he got very angry. They were kissing each other and touching each other and he said, ‘Look at that. In front of my son they are doing that’.
“And then we were in the men’s bathroom and men were kissing each other.’
He added: “This has nothing to do with religion,” he said.
“We are saying we are apologising for the whole incident. We weren’t aware of any action he is taking. We are in shock like the whole country.”
But despite the father’s defence authorities said he was a terrorist and was targeting homosexuals.
Mateen had active security officer and firearm licenses, according to Florida records, allowing him to build up an arsenal of weapons and ammunition.
Mirror