The father of the suspected Orlando gunman on Sunday said that his son grew angry when he saw two men kissing in Miami several months before the horrific attack on a gay nightclub that left 50 dead.
“We are not aware of any action he was taking. We are in shock like the rest of America. This had nothing to do with religion,” Mir Seddique told NBCNews.
He indicated that the shooting may have been related to seeing the men kiss, according to NBC.
Several news outlets have identified the shooter as Omar Mateen, 29, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, a security guard who is believed to have opened fire at about 2 a.m. at the Pulse, slaying 50 people and injuring 53 before he was killed by a tactical unit.
“We are saying we are apologizing for the whole incident. We weren’t aware of any action he is taking. We are in shock like the whole country,” Mr. Seddique said.
He said he apologized for his son’s actions, adding, “I don’t know why he did it. He is dead so I can’t ask him. I wish I knew.”
SEE ALSO: Omar Mateen identified as Pulse nightclub gunman
The FBI is investigating whether Mateen, who was reportedly born in New York, was linked to radical Islamic terrorism, as well as whether the shooting was an anti-gay hate crime.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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