The Devastating Pulse Nightclub Shooting: An Attack on the LGBTQ+ Community

Abstract

CJ365: Shooting Write-up 2 The 2016 Pulse Nightclub Shooting The shooting took place on 12th June, 2016 at Pulse (Valcore and Buckler, 2023). Pulse is a popular LGBTQ nightclub in [City, State]. It is a club that served as an LGBTQ community venue and was hosting popular event at the time of the attack. Basically, its interior and layout combined with a large crowd significantly contributed to the high number of casualties during the attack. The shooting took place in the early morning hours during a Latin Night event at the pulse club. It was a terrible and horrible attack that claimed 49 lives with 53 others sustaining serious injuries making this attack as among the most deadly mass shooting in the American history at that time. The mass shooter behind this attack was a 29-year-old Omar Mateen who served as a security guard at the time of the crime. Mateen had a history of erratic behavior which had prompted him to an investigation by the FBI’s. Just to mention a few, Mateen was investigated for possible connections to radical Islamist groups although received no charges (Valcore and Buckler, 2023). His profession revolved around security as was working as a security guard and was also known to have undergone firearms training giving him the skills and confidence to target and shoot during the attack. Having been a victim of erratic trait, Mateen’s mission during the attack proves to be a combination of extremist ideology and personal grievances (Meyer, 2020). He entered Pulse club armed with an AR-15 style assault rifle and a semi-automatic pistol. While inside the club, he immediately began shooting targeting individuals indiscriminately. It is an attack that lasted for approximately three hours while including standoff with police. Unfortunately unlike in most mass shooting where upon law enforcement...