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Orlando shooting: Inside the home of gunman Omar Mateen in Florida

Author: News Australia
June 14, 2016 at 08:15
IN Omar Mateen’s Florida home there are traces of his three-year-old son everywhe-re.

F-rom the Star Wars themed bathroom to the refrigerator plastered with family photographs — the apartment the 29-year-old and his wife shared is like any other suburban home.

Pictures obtained by News Corp Australia, reveal what appears to be a comfortable, if not slightly cramped, family home.

The front door is red with a large wreath on it, and looks welcoming to the naked eye.

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The home of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen. Picture: Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post via ZUMA Wire

The home of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen. Picture: Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post via ZUMA WireSource:Supplied

Inside, the walls of Mateen’s apartment are also covered in family photographs.

The home of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen. Picture: Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post via ZUMA Wire

The home of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen. Picture: Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post via ZUMA WireSource:Supplied

Toys are littered throughout the house, including the main family room which has matching brown leather couches and a coffee table with a flower arrangement on it containing a Minions balloon sticking out of the top. Behind it is a dining table setting.

The main family room inside Omar Mateen's apartment. Picture: Australscope

The main family room inside Omar Mateen's apartment. Picture: AustralscopeSource:Supplied

Toys underneath a coffee table at Omar Mateen's apartment. Picture: Australscope

Toys underneath a coffee table at Omar Mateen's apartment. Picture: AustralscopeSource:Supplied

There’s also a large plant in the main family room, next to a storage shelf whe-re some reading glasses, an ornate sword and a soccer trophy can also be seen.

Inside the Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen's home in Fort Pierce, Florida. Picture: James Breeden/Australscope

Inside the Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen's home in Fort Pierce, Florida. Picture: James Breeden/AustralscopeSource:Supplied

Both the bathroom and his son’s bedroom are an homage to Star Wars, complete with The Force Awakens bedspread and Darth Vader bathmat.

There’s also many a nod to superheroes, including a Spiderman bicycle and a magnetic Batman photo frame.

On the refrigerator is a card which reads: “Little Boys are just Superheroes in disguise.”

It’s tidy and well cared for, but cluttered.

In the main bedroom there’s a dresser overflowing with gift bags, cards and a balloon that reads: “Happy Birthday”.

On the bed, atop red sheets, is a copy of the Koran.

ABCNews America obtained further video footage of the home f-rom Univision(below), which shows the bedroom has a “messy walk-in closet”.

ABCNews America also reports Mateen’s “expired firearm license is seen on the kitchen counter along with two unidentifiable pamphlets”.

Elsewhe-re, there’s workout gear, a weight bench and some weights in the corner of a room.

Exercise gear inside the Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen's home in Fort Pierce, Florida. Picture: James Breeden/Australscope

Exercise gear inside the Pulse nightclub shooter Omar Mateen's home in Fort Pierce, Florida. Picture: James Breeden/AustralscopeSource:Supplied

At the door of the apartment, there’s also a shoe rack with some shoes lined up on it. They appear to be for casual wear.

The home of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen. Picture: Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post via ZUMA Wire

The home of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen. Picture: Thomas Cordy/The Palm Beach Post via ZUMA WireSource:Supplied

Mateen, who was named by police as the gunman who killed 49 people and injured 50 others in an Orlando gay nightclub on Sunday, was reportedly an exercise fanatic.

The White House and the FBI said Mateen, 29, an American born Muslim, appeared to be a “homegrown extremist” who had touted support not just for the Islamic State, but other radical groups that are its enemies.

“So far, we see no indication that this was a plot directed f-rom outside the United States, and we see no indication that he was part of any kind of network,” FBI Director James Comey said.

He said Mateen was clearly “radicalised,” at least in part via the internet.

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