Drew Phipps Wrote:FBI: No evidence that Omar Mateen had gay lover
Jeremy Berke
Jun 24th 2016 4:53PM

http://www.aol.com/article/2016/06/24/fbi-no-evidence-that-omar-mateen-had-gay-lover/21401649/


The FBI has found no evidence that the gunman who left 49 people dead in an Orlando nightclub had gay lovers or used gay dating apps, according to the Los Angeles Times. Omar Mateen, 29, carried out the shooting at Pulse, a popular gay nightclub, on June 12. Mateen, who was killed at the scene, was married with a young son. He told police that he was acting in allegiance to ISIS.


Several regulars at Pulse have come forward saying that they had seen Mateen at the club before and that he had regularly used the gay dating apps Grindr and Jack'd. A man, identified only as "Miguel," told Univision that he and Mateen were "friends with benefits," and that they had met up between 15 and 20 times. FBI agents have looked into Mateen's laptop and cellphone, but have so far found nothing indicating that Mateen was gay, reports the Los Angeles Times. The FBI will continue to investigate Mateen, but believes that the men who claimed that Mateen was gay may have not been credible.

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This is poorly written. The statements of the Pulse patrons are, of course, "evidence", which the FBI must have in their possession. What they should have said is that their electronic forensic investigation has uncovered no "corroborating evidence" to support the statements in their possession. (Unless the FBI means that they are deliberately ignoring those publicly available witness statements.)

Drew Phipps Wrote:*********
This is poorly written. The statements of the Pulse patrons are, of course, "evidence", which the FBI must have in their possession. What they should have said is that their electronic forensic investigation has uncovered no "corroborating evidence" to support the statements in their possession. (Unless the FBI means that they are deliberately ignoring those publicly available witness statements.)

Quote:July 14 (Reuters) - The Florida nightclub where the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history occurred last month was broken into just hours after police released the business back to its owners on Wednesday, Orlando police said on Twitter. Police officials declined on Thursday to provide more details about the break-in at Pulse, a gay dance club.


Local law enforcement had been guarding the crime scene since the June 12 attack by shooter Omar Mateen, who killed 49 people and wounded 53 others before he was killed by police after taking hostages during a three-hour standoff. But the building was transferred back to its owners on Wednesday, police spokeswoman Michelle Guido said in an email. She told the Orlando Sentinel newspaper that meant police were no longer responsible for guarding the business, leaving it up to the owners if they wished to hire security.

Quote: ORLANDO, Fla., Aug 30 (Reuters) - Panicked callers to 911 during June's mass shooting in Orlando told police of buildings hit by stray bullets and wounded friends stuck inside the gay nightclub where a gunman pledging allegiance to Islamic State killed 49 people. "Gun shots were just like crazy," one caller outside the club told 911 operators, according to partial transcripts of the calls that were released on Tuesday. Shooter Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 at the Pulse nightclub in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.


One neighbor near Pulse told 911 operators people were banging on his door to escape the shooting and others were seeking cover behind parked cars. People reported on the carnage inside the club. "One of our friends sent us a text and he said that he's been shot and he's in the bathroom and no one sees him," one caller told 911. A woman told an operator her husband was in the club and he reported shooting. "He told me he cannot get out. He's over there (and) he said he cannot get out," the woman said. A man said: "I just got home from the Pulse club ... My friends texted me (to) tell me there is a shooting going (on) A lot of my friends got shot."
The operator responds by saying not to text or call the friend. Authorities did not release the names of those who called 911 or those who were mentioned as being inside the club.


Mateen, 29, was killed by police inside the nightclub. He pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State militant group during the rampage in which he used an assault rifle and pistol that had been legally purchased although he had twice been investigated by the FBI for possible connections with militant Islamist groups. U.S. authorities believe that Mateen, who lived in Fort Pierce, Florida, with his wife and young child, was self-radicalized and acted alone without assistance or orders from abroad.

Drew Phipps Wrote:Police release partial transcripts of 911 calls, but haven't released the actual recordings of the calls.

Orlando 911 calls tell of fear inside and outside of Pulse club
Barbara Liston
Aug 31st 2016 7:21AM

http://www.aol.com/article/2016/08/31/orlando-911-calls-tell-of-fear-inside-and-outside-of-pulse-club/21462753/

Quote: ORLANDO, Fla., Aug 30 (Reuters) - Panicked callers to 911 during June's mass shooting in Orlando told police of buildings hit by stray bullets and wounded friends stuck inside the gay nightclub where a gunman pledging allegiance to Islamic State killed 49 people. "Gun shots were just like crazy," one caller outside the club told 911 operators, according to partial transcripts of the calls that were released on Tuesday. Shooter Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 at the Pulse nightclub in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.


One neighbor near Pulse told 911 operators people were banging on his door to escape the shooting and others were seeking cover behind parked cars. People reported on the carnage inside the club. "One of our friends sent us a text and he said that he's been shot and he's in the bathroom and no one sees him," one caller told 911. A woman told an operator her husband was in the club and he reported shooting. "He told me he cannot get out. He's over there (and) he said he cannot get out," the woman said. A man said: "I just got home from the Pulse club ... My friends texted me (to) tell me there is a shooting going (on) A lot of my friends got shot."
The operator responds by saying not to text or call the friend. Authorities did not release the names of those who called 911 or those who were mentioned as being inside the club.


Mateen, 29, was killed by police inside the nightclub. He pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State militant group during the rampage in which he used an assault rifle and pistol that had been legally purchased although he had twice been investigated by the FBI for possible connections with militant Islamist groups. U.S. authorities believe that Mateen, who lived in Fort Pierce, Florida, with his wife and young child, was self-radicalized and acted alone without assistance or orders from abroad.