ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — New information obtained by Eyewitness News suggests Orlando mass shooter Omar Mateen, did not expect to die inside the Pulse nightclub on June 12.
A source who saw surveillance video told Channel 9’s Shannon Butler that Mateen had a gun strap over his left shoulder and walked into the club with the rifle along his left side.
Authorities have said that Mateen did most of his killing in the first several minutes inside the nightclub. Three sources told Eyewitness News Mateen was headed out the door when he was confronted by an off-duty Orlando police officer.
Sources told Eyewitness News Mateen first parked his car at the Wendy's restaurant, walked across the street to Pulse and had a drink.
A few minutes later, he left the club and went back to Wendy’s to move his vehicle closer to Pulse. He walked from a nearby tint shop, passed an off-duty officer who was in an unmarked vehicle to go inside Pulse. At 2:02 a.m., Mateen began shooting, sources told Eyewitness News.
The off-duty police officer heard the shots and made his way toward the club.
Investigators think Mateen was likely done with the killing and was heading out the door to the patio when he was confronted by the off-duty officer.
The off-duty officer saw Mateen’s assault rifle and took cover behind a concrete wall, sources said. The two exchanged gunfire and Mateen retreated back into the club, then into the bathroom.
Mateen then told 911 dispatchers and negotiators that he had a bombs strapped not only on hostages, but also hidden inside his van, investigators said.
Investigators didn't find a bomb, but three sources told Eyewitness News that investigators found a lot of ammunition.
The contents of the van have led investigators to develop a theory that Mateen might have expected to get away from Pulse and try for another target sometime in the future.
Eyewitness News has reported Mateen had scoped out Disney Springs in April and early June. Eyewitness News learned the specific target might have been the House of Blues, sources said.
Mateen killed 49 people and injured 53 others.
The San Bernadino shooters and the Boston bombers also planned and failed to execute second attacks, investigators concluded.
If that is what Mateen intended, sources from ABC news say he failed the moment he locked himself inside a club bathroom.
Contact Shannon Butler for more on this story.
Cox Media Group
