For the next hour this special edition of The Factor will analyze the worst mass shooting in American history.
We will keep the politics at a minimum. We will deal with the political on Monday’s Factor when Donald Trump will be here. We've also invited Hillary Clinton.
Tonight we are going to tell you exactly what happened with a sharp perspective. Believe me, this hour will not waste your time.
Let's begin with the killer.
Twenty-nine-year-old Omar Mateen was shot dead by Orlando police officers after invading a nightclub shortly after 2:00 a.m. this morning.
Mateen used an assault rifle and a pistol, and while he was gunning people down he called 911 to say he was committing mass murder in allegiance with ISIS.
Police say that Mateen, a private security guard, held a number of people hostage and the entire incident lasted for about three hours before Mateen was killed.
Over that period of time the casualty count was horrific, fifty people dead, fifty-three people wounded.
Again, this is the worst mass shooting in American history.
MAN: “Oh my God! People are getting shot dude! Oh my God!”
((EDIT))
ORLANDO MAYOR BUDDY DYER: “It is with great sadness that I share - we have not 20 but 50 casualties in addition to the shooter. There are another 53 that are hospitalized.”
((EDIT))
DOCTOR: “All over the vast majority of the gunshot wounds were to the chest, the abdomen, and the extremities.”
((EDIT))
WITNESS: “This guy was pacing back and forth looking for a family member. He had a bullet sticking out and the bullet, I kid you not, was this big (measures 4 inches with his fingers) - half in his leg and half sticking out.”
((EDIT))
BARTENDER WITNESS: “After the second shot there was a pause and then it just started shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting. That's when we knew something was wrong. Everyone just dropped to the ground.”
((EDIT))
WOMAN: “My son.”
REPORTER: “Do you know if he's ok?”
WOMAN: “No.”
REPORTER: “He was shot?”
WOMAN: “We don't know. He was in the women's bathroom with the hostage.”
REPORTER: “How did you find out?”
WOMAN: “He was texting me and calling me.”
REPORTER: “What did he tell you exactly?”
WOMAN: “That the shooter has them in the women's bathroom hostage and he's going to die.”
We do not know what happened to that woman's son, as authorities have not yet released all the information about all the victims.
We do know more about the killer. He was an American citizen whose parents emigrated here from Afghanistan.
He was married with a three-year-old son.
His father told reporters he did not like gay people, and that might be why he targeted a nightclub that caters to homosexuals.
But if Mateen did identify with ISIS, he's homophobic by association as every single jihadist on the planet hates gays.
At the White House President Obama said this:
OBAMA: “The FBI is appropriately investigating this as an act of terrorism. And I’ve directed that we must spare no effort to determine, what, if any, inspiration or association this killer may have had with terrorist groups. ((EDIT)) Today marks the most deadly shooting in American history. The shooter was apparently armed with a handgun and a powerful assault rifle. This massacre is therefore a further reminder about how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapons that lets them shoot people in a school, or in a house of worship, or in a movie theater, or in a nightclub. And we have to decide if that’s the kind of country we want to be. And to actively do nothing is a decision as well.”
Once again Mr. Obama putting the emphasis on guns rather than Islamic terrorism. I will analyze that situation tomorrow in Talking Points.
For tonight, let's stay on point and analyze the terror act without pointing fingers at third parties.
In the shootout inside the club, one Orlando police officer was shot in the head but his Kevlar helmet saved his life.
No other police officers were injured.
The FBI is investigating the case and apparently the bureau had Mateen in its file, as he was known to be sympathetic to jihadists overseas.
Again, he was a security worker who held a legal firearms license in Florida since at least 2011.
The ATF is saying tonight Mateen bought the weapons legally. No license is needed in order to own an assault rifle, an issue that will be closely examined after the terror attack.
On balance this seems to be more about international terrorism than a gun-control situation. However, all aspects of the case should be investigated aggressively.
Talking Points is fed up with the Islamic jihad. The world should have confronted it a long time ago and this containment garbage is getting people killed, as we have mentioned before.
You don't contain evil; you destroy it or it will destroy you.
There is no question all Americans are at risk because Islamic terrorists want to kill us just because we are Americans.
And that's the memo. |
