Orlando Shooting Becomes Worst in U.S. History

Orlando Shooting Becomes Worst in U.S. History

Key Developments

  • The gunman has been identified as Omar Mir Seddique Mateen of Fort Pierce, Florida. He was born a U.S. citizen in New York to parents from Afghanistan.
  • The shooter pledged allegiance to ISIS in a phone call to 911.
  • 49 people, including Mateen, are deceased as a result of the shooting. As many as 50 injured are at local hospitals around the Orlando area. Twenty-seven people remain hospitalized as of June 14. Six remain "critically ill" and 5 are in "guarded" condition.
  • The gunman was recognized as someone who had been to the nightclub before. Officials believe he had been scouting out the location, as he was "calm and well-organized."
  • Officials believe the suspect had been scouting out Disney World as a possible location to attack, as well.
  • On June 15, the FBI called the attack both a hate crime and terrorism.
  • Investigators are focusing on the suspect's phone for clues as to the motive of the shooting.
  • The gunman's ex-wife is being investigated as it has been previously reported that she may have known about the attack before it happened.

In the early morning hours of Sunday, June 12, gunshots rang out inside a popular nightclub in Orlando, Florida. When the sun would rise, we would see the details of what is now being called the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

An American-man, later identified as Omar Mir Seddique Mateen, entered the night club with an assault rifle and a pistol at about 2 a.m. and started shooting killed 49 people and wounding at least 53 others, Orlando officials said.

After the initial gunshots were fired, Mateen was confronted by an off duty officer and was taken outside the club where he fired more rounds to get away from the officer and ran back inside the club.

People were trapped inside the club during a three hour standoff as Orlando Police and the FBI worked to negotiate with the shooter. Finally, police crashed into the building with an armored vehicle and stun grenades in an effort to distract the shooter and rescue people from the building.

Nine officers entered the club following the distractions and the shootout that ensued resulted in the death of Mateen. Only one officer was hurt, with injuries to the face when his Kevlar helmet met a bullet from the gunman.

Following the mass shooting, Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency in Orange County.

It has been determined that Mateen had been interviewed by the FBI in 2013 and 2014 in terror-related cases, but both cases were closed. Mateen was able to purchase both the firearms he used in the shooting legally.

Police are investigating to see if Mateen worked under the influence of ISIS or if the attack was ISIS inspired. During the attack, Mateen called 911 to pledge his allegiance to ISIS, mentioning the Boston Bombers on the call.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.