Suspected Orlando Shooter’s Ex-Wife Says He Was Physically Abusive

A police negotiator arrives to the emergency entrance of the Orlando Regional Medical Center hospital after a shooting involving multiple fatalities at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla., Sunday, June 12, 2016. (AP Photo/P... A police negotiator arrives to the emergency entrance of the Orlando Regional Medical Center hospital after a shooting involving multiple fatalities at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla., Sunday, June 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack) MORE LESS
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The ex-wife of Omar Mateen, the man identified as the shooter who killed 50 people in a nightclub on Sunday, told The Washington Post that her former husband was not a “stable” person and was physically abusive toward her.

Mateen reportedly open fired at the gay club, Pulse as closing hours drew near, and took hostages before he ultimately died following a shootout with SWAT members.

His ex-wife, who spoke to the Post out of anonymity because she feared for her safety following the shooting, said she met Mateen online eight years ago. She said their marriage seemed normal at first, but that he became abusive.

“He was not a stable person. He beat me,” she told the newspaper. “He would just come home and start beating me up because the laundry wasn’t finished or something like that.”

The two were married for a few months and formally divorced in 2011, reported the Post. She told the publication that she was “still processing” what had happened in Orlando.

Read the full piece.

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  1. Oh no. That cannot possibly be the reason, because I heard Marco Rubio and Peter King and many other “moderate” members of the GOP saying that he was really a trained terrorist from Afghanistan (even though the shooter was born and bred in NY, but then, according to the RW and FoxNews, NYC is basically a terrorist cell anyway; the love after 9/11 for The Big Apple faded pretty fucking fast, didn’t it?)
    And still, not one tear for the victims. But then, did we ever expect any real sympathy from any of these motherfuckers?

  2. NBC mentioned a son from this marriage not mentioned in the WP story…I’d like to know who has custody of the child?

  3. Avatar for mymy mymy says:

    The Israel Times reports that his father said he got upset when he saw a man kissing another man. Sounds like, with his abuse of his wife, and his excessive reaction to male homosexuality, he was a terribly screwed up fellow–hating the gays because he couldn’t openly ever join them?

  4. Avatar for jcs jcs says:

    How did he get his guns? Ammunition? This has to stop. A hateful bigot with a gun. God help the victims and families.

    Another incident to prompt Ryan and McConnell to introduce strong gun control legislation!!! The media needs to keep this issue front, center abd constant until congress is forced to act.

  5. A tragedy on so many levels…

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