The recent Orlando shooting has sparked a massive outrage against terrorist groups and proved that solidarity between people from different walks of life is still largely a possibility. The shooter has been identified as Omar Mateen, who pledged allegiance to terrorist group ISIS moments before he unleashed gunfire in a nightclub, killing 49 innocent people.
In a surprising turn of events, it has been discovered that Mateen is actually a familiar face and a frequent visitor to the nightclub where he committed the attack, according to reports from the Telegraph. He was said to be friendly and did not look like the type to cause any sort of harm or trouble.
In a recent interview with CNN, Chris Callen, a performer at the Pulse nightclub, spoke about Mateen and their interactions. "He was very friendly when we said hi. He didn't seem like the kind of guy who just did what he did. It makes no sense," says Callen. According to reports Mateen went to Pulse two times a month within the span of three years.
Kevin West, a regular visitor to Pulse, also said that Mateen messaged him on a gay dating app several times in the past year. However, these accounts do not match up to the descriptions provided by Mateen's ex-coworkers who said that Mateen was an angry person who was known to burst out in anti-gay remarks. Dan Gilroy, a previous coworker, said that he foresaw an act like this due to Mateen's violent nature.
Mateen's ex-wife also shone a negative light on him. She had a brief yet violent relationship with a man who she describes as "mentally-ill." She also said that she was only able to escape from Mateen and his abuse with the help of her family. Mateen was also described by his ex-wife as a steroid abuser.
