Orlando Nightclub Shooting: What We Know

Orlando Nightclub is a bar that brings together gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender persons. The club was co-founded by Barbara Poma and Lon Regler, her friend, in 2004. The idea of establishing the club drew from John, Poma’s brother who succumbed to the effects of AIDs in 1991. Having been raised in a strict Italian context where his family was against the gay culture, John always promoted the embracement of acceptance and love for everyone, including gay men and other people of same-sex orientations. The term “Pulse” was adopted to represent John’s aspirations of a collective culture that respected and embraced the views and endeavors of everyone without discriminating against persons on the basis of their relations’ establishment (West, 2016). 

The night of 12 June 2016 turned out to be a doom day for the founders of the Orlando Nightclub and their clients at around 2 a.m. when Omar Mateen, linked to the ISIS, shot dead 49 individuals and injured 53 others at around. The active shooter was then gunned down by the Orlando Police. The club operators had invited partygoers to attend a Latin-themed dancing that started on Saturday night through Sunday morning (Ellis, Fantz, Karimi & McLaughlin, 2016). There were more than 300 attendants in the vast space of this club and this heightened the confusion when the shootings began. The darkness, coupled with the loud music systems were other sources of confusion that made it easier for the attacker to shoot more people before they could gain an awareness of what was happening. 

Background of the Shooting Occurrence 

While it remains unclear as to what could have led Mateen to engage in the massive shooting in Orlando Nightclub, the U.S. president of that time, Barrack Obama, described the event as having been driven by hate. He described it as an act of terror that was directed toward the American gay community (Ellis et. al, 2016). Occurring at a time when terrorism is a global disaster, the Orlando episode emerges as the severest terror attack undertaken by an individual since the 9/11 attacks. 

Mateen’s age, 29, increases the controversy and sends no clear message as to why he engaged in the attack. Every conclusion is based on speculations. He pledged allegiance to the Islamic state, a factor that associates this attack with terror. He had also depicted abhorrence of the gay community as his father commented that Mr.Matten seemed infuriated when he saw two men kissing in Miami (Barry, Kovaleski, Blinder & Mashal, 2016). His widow, Noor Salman, associates the Orlando attack with a mental illness. The implication is that no one knows why Mateen engaged in the attack and they only speculate on the basis of his life and how reactions toward various occurrences. 

The Groundwork for the Attack 

Mateen’s widow is said to have assisted him in his preparations for the attack and has a case pending in the court over the same (Goldman & Blinder, 2017). Mateen was also a frequent visitor of the Orlando nightclub (Bertland, 2016), a factor that could have enabled him enter the gates easily without any suspicions from the guards. By visiting the club, it was highly likely that he was readily aware of the best time to launch an attack. There are also allegations that Mateen had visited the nightclub early Saturday night, paid the entry fee and was offered the wrist band that was used as an identity for those who had paid (Perez & Prokupecz, 2016). 

Mateen was also well-prepared for the attack. He had legally bought a Glock 9mm Pistol and long gun which he later carried to the Orlando nightclub on the night of the attack (Barry, et. al., 2016). Having worked as a security guard in the United States, G4S service, he had all the tactics necessary to engage successfully in such an attack. He had also visited the nightclub with the wife and son to scrutinize it prior to day of the attack (Goldman & Blinder, 2017). It is, therefore, not a wonder that this emerged as the worst attack in the U.S. history undertaken by an individual. 

Mateen hired a vehicle and drove to Orlando with his weapons in a bag. The wife told the FBI that he lied to her that he was going to see a friend and he also appeared infuriated over something before leaving home. A representative of the FBI also confirmed through the ATP that Mateen had an AR-15 rifle which he used during the attack. 

Controls 

Much of the debate over whether the Orlando nightclub attack could be prevented lies more on the control of the livelihood of Mateen rather than the nightclub. While every organization is vulnerable to terrorist attacks, there were several ways through which Mateen’ life depicted the possibilities of engaging in an attack. His loss of job as a security guard on the grounds of perceived terrorism attachments could be the start point of denying him the freedom to buy ammunitions anyhowly. Florida also has loose regulations requiring no license for one to buy a rifle (Wilkinson, 2016). 

Allowing Mateen to carry weapons in concealment, just because he was once a security guard, gave him the spirit to plan the attack even if he could not have intended it. It also led to his tremendous success in the attack since no one could question him for carrying the weapons he had in the car. Action was only taken after he started shooting carelessly; leading to his shooting by the Orlando police and eventual death together with the 49 individuals he had killed (Ellis, et. al., 2016). The implication is that while the club could be well-installed with all countermeasures in a bid to prevent an attack, the personality of Mateen was still questionable yet he was allowed to carry weapons around and, therefore, could attack at any time he felt like. 

It is not clear which security measures the Orlando club had in place but it is evident that the security there was weak. Despite having very strong weapons, Mateen’s management to kill 49 individuals yet he had no assistance in the shooting engagements leaves one with a lot of questions. There could be security guards as claimed, but one wonders why they took so long to act. The staff too was ill-prepared for such an occurrence, a factor that saw them get stranded just like any other client in the club. 

Darkness, overcrowding, and loud music systems were major factors that boosted the insecurity of the club. Mateen managed to sail through into the darkness and commence the shooting and had killed several people before the rest realized that the noise in the club was a combination of music and shooting (Ellis, et. al., 2016). This raises concerns over what nightclubs should do to ensure the security of their customers, particularly in the contemporary global context that is characterized with anticipations of terror attacks with intentions of killing massive numbers without worries of losing one’s life. Mateen had links with the ISIS as he proclaimed before engaging in the attack yet nothing was done to counteract any of his plans that could threaten the security of others. 

The intervention of the Orlando Police was a good security measure as several lives were saved. While the police also shot the attacker dead, this could have been a good countermeasure immediately Mateen commenced shooting. That way, the death toll could have been lower than the reported 49. 

Different Way of Dealing with the Situation 

Prevention and Detection Measures 

One of the occurrences that depicted Mateen’s intention to engage in an attack in Orlando nightclub was the threatening undertakings he engaged in when he visited the club. One of the attendants confessed that he once threatened her and another client with a knife for making a religious comment in his presence (Bertland, 2016). The staff in Orlando nightclub ought to have been sensitized on how to deal with such cases, as the club’s management could be readily aware that he was a threat to the clients. 

Secondly, Mateen was a frequent customer of Orlando Nightclub and was highly reserved as he rarely talked to anyone. There was also a day when he went to survey the club together with the wife and son. On the eve of engaging in the attack, he went to the club in the early hours Saturday night, then walked out and was away for two hours before resurfacing with the weapons where he immediately commenced shooting (Perez & Prokupecz, 2016). For an organization that is sensitive to its customers’ security as well as that of its business, there ought to have been someone taking note of these moves to know that something was wrong. It is only through such detection of suspicious moves that a company can come up with measures to counter a pre-planned attack. 

The screening process could go a long way if adopted in such a nightclub. While the legal system of Florida allows the citizens to buy weapons (Wilkinson, 2016), an organization needs to have strict regulations that prohibit the carriage of such weapons into the business premises or social gatherings. From an organization’s perspective, only the security guards employed by the nightclub ought to be allowed to have their rifles in accessible places. There are several organizations whose security is highly founded on the screening process that disallows outsiders to carry weapons into the organization’s premises. The Orlando Nightclub could have prevented the attack if they had a screening process in place as Mateen could have been barred from entering the premises with his rifles. 

Intervention Measures 

Businesses that engage in night operations ought to have gunshot detection systems that would immediately stimulate the intervention of security personnel in a timely manner. If the Orlando Nightclub had this detection system, Mateen could have fired only once and alerted the Orlando Police of a looming threat. There are gunshot detectors that automatically close all the doors available in the premises, a factor that could have barred Mateen from entering the club and persisting with the killings. Before the intervention of the police to save the people in the Orlando Nightclub, the detectors could already have played a critical role in saving lives by stimulating the closure of the doors. 

Training is a crucial process in enhancing the implementation of counterattack measures. Where technological systems can fail, humans have various ways of protecting themselves from an attack or its effects. Where the staff members of an organization are well-trained, they can pass such knowledge to the customers whenever an attack seems inevitable. For instance, the staff members could offer instructions to customers to lie down to avoid a gunshot that would lead to death during the Orlando Nightclub attack. In case Manteen was being driven by a mental illness as claimed by his wife, then he could continue shooting in all directions but shooting no one. Many people were shot because the scenario occurred in the darkness and most of the victims were standing. 

The Recovery Process 

Any attack where lives are lost involves a huge cost in the recovery process. The victims of the attack, particularly those who lose their loved ones need counseling services and it would be kind for the organization to cater to such needs. Visiting the wounded in the hospital would be a gesture that an organization values its customers, even in the face of tribulations. The Orlando Nightclub owner also engages people in commemorations of the victims of the terror attack, a factor that is also critical in enhancing the recovery process. The owner had also announced plans to make the site a memorial podium for the victims of the attack (Addady, 2016). Memorial services are critical in reminding people about the value of the life that was lost. They also remind people about the experiences they once had with relatives or friends, who are readily gone (Sewell, 2011). For the Orlando Nightclub victims, the memorial service would also remind people about the nights out to such a club and the fun of being together in such unique places and circumstances. 

Conclusion 

The Orlando Nightclub attack is one of the most renowned terror attack that became the worst ever experienced since the 9/11 episode. It involved Omar Mateen whose intention remains unknown to date and people rely on speculations in their attempts to unravel the mystery. The Orlando Nightclub was a place for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender people to meet and share their interests. Mateen appears as one of the individuals whose conduct is highly comprised in society leading to issues that end up leaving a permanent scar in the hearts of many. While the Orlando Nightclub had security guards in place, they compromised the security of the customers through failure to engage in the screening process that could have enabled them to detect the rifles carried by Mateen in readiness for the attack. Though the intervention process was successful in eliminating the attacker and stopping further deaths, there is need for vigilance in preventing and coping with such occurrences in the future. The adoption of gunshot detection systems could go a long way as a counterattack measure. 

References 

Addady, M. (2016. November 8). Orlando is turning the Pulse Nightclub into a memorial. Fortune. http://fortune.com/2016/11/08/orlando-pulse-nightclub-memorial/ 

Barry, D., Kovaleski, S. F., Blinder, A. & Mashal, M. (2016, June 18). ‘Always agitated. Always Mad’: Omar Mateen, according to those who knew him. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/19/us/omar-mateen-gunman-orlando-shooting.html?_r=0 

Bertland, N. (2016, June 13). Reports: Orlando shooter was a regular at the gay nightclub he attacked, used multiple gay dating sites. Business Insider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/omar-mateen-pulse-visited-orlando-shooting-2016-6?IR=T 

Goldman, A. & Blinder, A. (2017, Jan 16). FBI arrests wife of killer in Orlando mass shooting. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/16/us/politics/noor-salman-arrested-orlando-shooting-omar-mateen.html 

Perez, E. & Prokupecz, S. (2016, June 23). Orlando gunman visited club on night of attack, left and returned. CNN News. Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/21/politics/orlando-shooting-gunman-omar-mateen-pulse-nightclub-noor-salman-new-info/ 

Sewell, M. (2011, July 25). Why you should have a memorial service. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marilyn-sewell/virginia-doesnt-want-a-me_b_903570.html 

Wilkinson, J. (2016, June 13). Orlando terrorist bought assault rifle and pistol legally- despite being quizzed three times by the FBI investigations over possible terror links. DailyMail. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3638234/Orlando-terrorist-Omar-Mateen-bought-massacre-weapons-legally-past-week-Florida-despite-two-FBI-investigations-left-watch-list.html