Forty-nine people who lost their lives in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, are memorialized in a display outside the club. | Valencia College/Facebook
Forty-nine people who lost their lives in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, are memorialized in a display outside the club. | Valencia College/Facebook
On the seventh anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre, Greg Price, director of communications at the State Freedom Caucus Network, shared some information about the tragic incident on social media.
Price heads the network that is focused on providing conservative support in elections across the United States, and his tweet on June 12 highlights allegations the FBI erred when it reportedly removed the shooter from watchlists. Price also brings attention to the possibility that the shooter had no idea the club served gay clientele.
“Never forget that the FBI took the shooter off the terror watchlist for no reason two years prior,” Price wrote in the tweet. “During the trial of the shooter's wife, it was revealed his motive was revenge for American airstrikes in Syria and he Googled a bar at random and chose Pulse due to its lack of security. Evidence in court showed the shooter had no idea it was even a gay bar.”
According to NPR, the shooting occurred on June 12, 2016, as Omar Mateen opened fire shortly after entering the club in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people and wounding many others.
In the wake of the shooting, Noor Salam, Mateen’s wife, was charged with obstruction and aiding her husband in connection with the shootings, according to Reuters. Omar’s father, Seddique Mateen, also worked as an FBI informant.
The shooting was thought by many to be motivated by anti-gay sentiment, according to The Intercept, but Omar’s online search history proved that it was random, as he searched for “Orlando nightclubs.” The publication noted that Omar allegedly selected the venue because it had less security than other establishments.
The New York Times reported at the time that Omar had been on the FBI’s radar and was on a watchlist in the years leading up to the shooting, including a 10-month period that began in 2013 that included extensive surveillance. However, due to a lack of evidence to support continued surveillance, he was removed from the watchlist.
Florida state Rep. Kristen Arrington (D-Tallahassee), announced on Twitter the commemoration of June 12 to mark the event and honor the victims.
“The city of Orlando and Orange County Government, in collaboration with Pulse, announced the dedication of June 12 annually as “Orlando United Day – A Day of Love and Kindness,” she wrote in the tweet.