An editorial published Wednesday by the New York Times said it’s “unclear” why Omar Mateen shot up the gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
“While the precise motivation for the rampage remains unclear, it is evident that Mr. Mateen was driven by hatred toward gays and lesbians,” the Times said.
The paper also said that the 49 deaths and dozens of injuries that resulted from the shooting were “a reminder that in many corners of the country, gay and transgender people are still regarded as sinners and second-class citizens who should be scorned” as well as a reminder of “a society where hate has deep roots.”
Evidence cited by local and federal authorities, however, has suggested that Mateen was motivated by radical Islamic terrorism.
“Mateen called dispatchers about 20 minutes into the attack, pledging allegiance to ISIS and mentioning the Boston Marathon bombers, a U.S. official said,” according to CNN.
“Law enforcement sources told NBC News he swore allegiance to the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in a 911 call moments before the rampage at Pulse,” said a report by NBC.
FBI Director James Comey has also said the investigation into the shooting revealed terrorist-leanings at least partly influenced by outside elements.
“The reason for that is there are strong indications of radicalization by this killer, and of potential inspiration by foreign terrorist organizations,” he said.
It was also reported that Mateen had been listed on terror-watch lists and visited Saudi Arabia twice before being placed on the lists.
