Judicial Watch: State of Florida Documents Reveal Orlando Terrorist Was Expert Marksman with Handgun

From 2007 to 2015, Omar Mateen’s Range Scores Averaged 95 Percent Accuracy; above 97 Percent in Five of the Nine Years

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today it obtained public records from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) on June 20, 2016 showing that Orlando mass murderer Omar Mateen was an expert marksman with a handgun.

The Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services licenses security guards in Florida and provided Judicial Watch all of Mateen’s security-guard and firearms-licensure records and departmental communications regarding him in response to a June 13, 2016 Florida Public Records Law request seeking the following:

1. Any and all records regarding Omar Mateen, also known as Omar Mir Seddique, born on November 16, 1986, who died on June 12, 2016 in Orlando, Florida, including but not limited to records regarding any licensures, certifications and/or registrations held by Mateen through FDACS or its sub-agencies.
2. Any and all records of communication between officials of FDACS or its sub-agencies, and officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding Omar Mateen (aka, Omar Mir Seddique) from January 1, 2009 to the present date.

The documents show that on September 7, 2007, Mateen underwent an initial 28 hours of classroom and firearms range training to receive his “Class G” statewide Florida firearms license. He completed that training using a Smith and Wesson.357 cal. revolver, and scored a 231 and 235 on his shooting range tests, out of a possible 240 (or 96% and 98%, respectively). His written exam scores were 100, 90 and 90.

His subsequent marksman tests show:

• In July 2008, using a .38 cal. Smith and Wesson revolver, Mateen’s firearms range score, was 239 (99%).

• In June 2009, Mateen scored 238 using a .38 cal. Smith and Wesson revolver. He received a written exam score of 100.

• Mateen’s 2010 range score was 237 using the same type of weapon, and he scored 100 on the written exam.

• In July 2011, Mateen scored 216 and 234 while using the same type of weapon and 100 on the written exam.  In November, Mateen switched from a revolver to a 9mm. semi-automatic pistol, and scored 225.

• In July 2013, he scored a 236 with a semi-automatic pistol and 100 on the written exam.

• In August 2014, Mateen scored 223 on the range using a .38

A “Temporary Class ‘G’ License Checklist” completed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Regional Staff notes that Mateen’s employer, Wackenhut (before the firm changed its name to G4S Security Solutions (USA) in 2010), had “certified the applicant to be mentally and emotionally stable.”

A form submitted to the State of Florida by Wackenhut in 2007 claiming that Mateen had passed a psychologist test administered by Dr. Carol Nudelman, certifying “the employee is mentally and emotionally stable,” a requirement for Mateen to receive his security-guard certification. Nudelman told NBC News she never evaluated Mateen and wasn’t even working for Wackenhut at the time.  “A test was administered,” a G4S spokesman said in response to the NBC report. “The name of the reviewing psychologist was wrong on the firearms license, due to a clerical error.”

NBC News reported on June 16 that G4S did not make Mateen undergo any additional psychological evaluations at any time after he was hired.

The Wall Street Journal reported: “Again and again for much of his life, Omar Mateen let people know he was a violent, dangerous person capable of murder.”

Mateen was employed by G4S Security Solutions as a security guard at the front entrance of a gated neighborhood at the time of the Orlando shooting on June 12, 2016.  The records show that before being hired by G4S in 2007, Mateen’s employment was spotty, jumping frequently between employers.  He worked six months at the Martin Correctional Institute as a correctional officer in 2007.  Between June 2005 and October 2006, he had four different jobs:  nine months at General Nutrition Center as a sales representative; two months or less at Hollister, as a sales associate; four months or less at a Gold’s Gym, as a “floor watcher;” and three months or less at Nutrition World as a Sales Associate.

“These new records reveal that Omar Mateen was an expert marksman and had a spotty employment record,” said Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton.  “This information raises new questions about how and why the Obama administration failed to stop Mateen before he committed his heinous act of terrorism.”

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