Omar Mateen has been identified as the Orlando shooter who took the lives of over 50 people on Saturday night.
We now know that Mateen used an assault rifle to kill an incomprehensible number of patrons at a gay Florida nightclub called Pure.
He also took a number of individuals hostage before police broke into the establishment and Mateen was killed in a shootout around 5 a.m. local time.
But what do we actually know about Omar Mateen?
He was a U.S. citizen who was born in New York and who, according to his ex-wife, was an abusive husband.
His parents are of Afghan descent and his father is on record as saying he thinks Mateen committed this unspeakable crime because he was grossed out recently upon seeing two gay men kiss.
We also know that Mateen called 911 on Saturday night to brag about his killing and align himself with ISIS.
But what did the FBI know about Omar Mateen prior to these fatal acts?
The answer to that question is chilling.
Via press conference, FBI official Ronald Hopper has said that Mateen has been on the organization’s radar for years.
In 2013, Matten made “inflammatory comments to coworkers,” – presumably terrorism related – which prompted the FBI to investigate and interview him.
Mateen was also investigated by the FBI in 2014, over alleged ties to American suicide bomber Moner Mohammad Abusalha, the agency has confirmed.
Because the FBI could not produce any evidence against Mateen as it related to his terrorist ties, these investigations were closed and Mateen was left to live freely.
Still… despite these rumored terrorist affiliations, Mateen had purchased a “long gun” and a handgun within a week of the Orlando attack, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says.
The weapons were purchased legally.
Since the heinous attack, ISIS has come out and claimed responsibility for the actions.
We’ll continue to share more news regarding this horrible tragedy as it breaks.
