Police fired at Omar Mateen about 150 times during the final shoot-out at Pulse nightclub, police reports show, but an autopsy released Friday revealed just eight bullets struck the man who killed 49 people in the June 12 massacre.
Mateen was shot after law enforcement breached a back wall of the club about 5:07 a.m., according to Orlando Police dispatch records. That was three hours after Mateen fired the first shots in the club. Police said 13 SWAT members engaged Mateen in gunfire about 5:14 a.m., and reported him “down” at 5:17 a.m.
Bullets struck Mateen’s head, chest, abdomen, calf, feet and toe. His body was marred with several lacerations, as well as “blunt-force injuries” such as bruising and scrapes to his torso, according to the report.
The medical examiner did not specify what might have caused Mateen’s blunt-force trauma.
Mateen, a licensed security guard and trained marksman from Port St. Lucie, reportedly used an AR-15-style assault rifle and a handgun in the attack that also wounded more than 50 people.
An off-duty Orlando police officer initially engaged Mateen just after 2 a.m. near the entrance to the club after he began firing inside. Shortly thereafter, other officers entered before Mateen, 29, barricaded himself in the bathroom with hostages.
During the standoff, he called a television station, claiming allegiance to the Islamic State and condemning the U.S. for bombing of territories ISIS now claims.
Orlando police tweeted at 5:53 a.m. that Mateen was dead.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the final gun battle.
Mateen was likely not shot at close range, the autopsy report suggested. Most of the bullets went through and through and the majority entered his body from front to back, suggesting he was shot while facing police, likely during the standoff.
The toxicology report indicated Mateen was not under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs the night of the shooting.
In a list of personal items on the body, the medical examiner noted finding a gun holster strapped to Mateen’s belt. Mateen reportedly used an AR-15-style weapon and a handgun in his attack.
Information about the type of ammunition used to kill Mateen, as well as where in the club he died was not included in the report.
The medical examiner’s office is expected to release more records of the other 19 people Mateen killed in coming weeks.
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