Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE starting June 12 2026

US attorney general meets shooting victims

Loretta Lynch, the US Attorney General, has travelled to Orlando to meet with the survivors of the nightclub massacre.

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch will meet with victims of the Orlando nightclub massacre.

The meeting on Tuesday comes a day after the Federal Bureau of Investigation said the gunman described himself as an "Islamic soldier" during the rampage.

Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 others when he opened fire inside Pulse, a gay dance club, early on June 12 in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history.

He was later killed by police after a three-hour standoff.

The 29-year-old US citizen of Afghan descent pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State militant group in a 911 call from the nightclub, but authorities said he appears to have been "self-radicalised" and acted alone.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Citing unnamed law enforcement officials, CNN said on Tuesday that Mateen visited Pulse earlier on the night of his attack.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the report.

Lynch will be briefed on the investigation, the department said, and address the media alongside US Attorney A Lee Bentley III of the Middle District of Florida.

In a transcript of the gunman's calls released by the FBI on Monday, Mateen told police negotiators to tell the US government to stop bombing Syria and Iraq, and he threatened to strap bomb vests on hostages, though no explosives were found at the scene.

FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ron Hopper told a news conference on Monday the shooter had made his "murderous statements" in a "chilling, calm and deliberate manner".


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world