In the aftermath of the horrific shooting in Orlando, we once again wonder how Mateen was able to slip through the cracks. Why didn’t someone pick up on the signals and try to stop him?
Actually, someone did. According to the following article, www.floridatoday.com/…, one of Mateen’s coworkers warned their employer about Mateen, but nothing was done. Bolding is mine.
Gilroy, a former Fort Pierce police officer, said Mateen frequently made homophobic and racial comments. Gilroy said he complained to his employer several times but it did nothing because he was Muslim. Gilroy quit after he said Mateen began stalking him via multiple text messages — 20 or 30 a day. He also sent Gilroy 13 to 15 phone messages a day, he said.
"I quit because everything he said was toxic," Gilroy said Sunday, "and the company wouldn't do anything. This guy was unhinged and unstable. He talked of killing people."
Gilroy said this shooting didn't come as a surprise to him.
In today’s economy, Daniel Gilroy was so concerned about Omar Mateen that he quit his job to avoid working with Mateen. Think about that for a minute.
If we want to prevent the next mass shooting, we need to start paying attention to early warnings from coworkers.
** Updated ** with statement from G4S Security:
G4S plc - Statement on attack in Orlando, FloridaJune 13 2016
G4S is deeply shocked by the tragic events in Orlando this weekend and the thoughts of everyone at G4S are with the victims and their families.
Omar Mateen was employed by G4S at a residential community in South Florida and was off-duty at the time of the incident. Mateen was subject to detailed company screening when he was recruited in 2007 and re-screened in 2013 with no adverse findings. He was also subject to checks by a U.S. law enforcement agency with no findings reported to G4S.
G4S is providing its full support to all law enforcement authorities in the USA as they conduct their investigations.
For further enquiries, please contact:
Media enquiries:
G4S press office +44 (0) 207 963 3333
Apparently the reports of spousal abuse also fell through the cracks.
