Feds reverse course, release full transcript of Pulse nightclub shooter's 911 call

ORLANDO, Fla. — A little more than 30 minutes after Orlando police started to receive frantic 911 calls from victims of the Pulse nightclub massacre, the gunman himself called to taunt law enforcement, newly released 911 transcripts show.

U.S. Attorney Lee Bentley said Monday during a news conference the specifics of some of the communication between police and the killer were made public to show what kind of madman Orlando police were dealing with when he ambushed clubgoers at Pulse nightclub.

In a call made at 2:35 a.m. on June 12, Omar Mateen spoke with a 911 operator for about 50 seconds.

“In the name of God the merciful, the beneficial (words in Arabic),” Mateen said at the start of the call.

“What?” the operator asked.

In the call, which took place while Mateen was inside the club, the gunman went on to claim credit for the shootings.

READ: 911 transcripts

“Praise be to God, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of God (words in Arabic),” he told the operator. “I let you know, I’m in Orlando and I did the shootings.”

When asked his name, Mateen reportedly answered by pledging his allegiance to  911 operator asked Mateen his name a second time, he replied, “I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr-al-Baghdadi the leader of the Islamic State terror organization.

When they were first released, the FBI initially redacted the name from official transcripts.

Gov. Rick Scott said Monday he disagreed with the U.S. Attorney General's decision to redact the 911 transcripts.

“I have gone to funerals, I've sat down and cried with the parents. I've gone and visited individuals in the hospitals,” he said. “They are grieving. Now they want answers. If it was my family I would want answers, and you would too.

“We all would like answers. She (Attorney General Loretta Lynch) should release everything that doesn't impact the investigation.”

Photos: Victims of the Pulse shooting

A few hours later, the U.S. Justice Department and FBI released the unedited transcript of Mateen’s call to 911.

The two groups explained their initial decision, saying they felt it was in the best interest of those affected by the massacre.

“The purpose of releasing the partial transcript of the shooter's interaction with 911 operators was to provide transparency, while remaining sensitive to the interests of the surviving victims, their families, and the integrity of the ongoing investigation,” the organizations said in a statement. “We also did not want to provide the killer or terrorist organizations with a publicity platform for hateful propaganda."

The pressure from Scott and the public over the decision “caused an unnecessary distraction from the hard work that the FBI and our law enforcement partners have been doing to investigate this heinous crime.”

In the next hour, Mateen spoke with crisis negotiators from the Orlando Police Department three times for a total of about 28 minutes, the FBI said.

About 10 minutes after making the call to 911, Mateen spoke with crisis negotiators for about nine minutes, the FBI said.

“In these calls, the shooter, who identified himself as an Islamic soldier, told the crisis negotiator that he was the person who pledged his allegiance to (omitted) and told the negotiator to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq and that is why he was ‘out here right now,’” FBI transcripts indicate. “When the crisis negotiator asked the shooter what he had done, the shooter stated, ‘No, you already know what I did.’”

Mateen told police he’d rigged his vehicle with explosives and that he was wearing an explosive vest like the ones “used in France,” and claimed, “In the next few days, you’re going to see more of this type of action going on.” Police said he never had explosives.

The gunman hung up the phone and numerous attempts to contact him again were unsuccessful, the FBI said.

At 4:21 a.m., officers pulled an air-conditioning unit out of a Pulse dressing room window and evacuated victims from inside the club.

As the victims were being rescued, they told officers that Mateen threatened to put “four bomb vests on victims within 15 minutes,” FBI transcripts said.

At 5:02 a.m., the OPD SWAT and Orange County Sheriff’s Office Hazardous Device Team breached the outer wall of the club with explosives and an armored vehicle, the transcript said.

By 5:15 a.m., Mateen was reported to be down after a shootout with police.

When Orlando Police Chief John Mina was asked if some victims died during the shootout between Mateen and police, he said that determination had not been made yet.

"That's all part of the investigation, but here's what I will tell you: Those killings are on the suspect and on the suspect alone in my mind," Mina Said. "All that will be investigated, but our officers acted heroically, and did as they were trained under unbelievable circumstances. (They) did a phenomenal job."

According to the transcripts released by the FBI, no shots were fired from 2:02 a.m., when gunfire was first reported at the club, until the final shootout with police more than three hours later.

Police said during the three-hour period when no shots were fired, people were being rescued from the club.

“I am extremely proud of the heroic actions of our officers and I am confident they saved many, many lives,” Mina said. "I knew our officers were ready. I knew the SWAT team members were ready. I knew our hospitals were ready.

"And yes, it's a very difficult decision to make, but it was the right decision at the right time, and I stand by that and would make the same decision standing here today."

An immediate search of the gunman’s vehicle and his person inside the club revealed no explosives of any kind, the FBI said.

In the wake of the shooting, 53 people were found injured and police identified 49 people who were killed inside the club.

FBI said it did not release the victims’ 911 calls out of respect for them and their families. But the FBI and Mina said their courage in providing vital information about the killer helped save lives.

Lynch will meet Tuesday with survivors, first responders and others who were affected by the shooting.

An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and the FBI asks that anyone with information on Mateen or the attack is asked to contact the organization at 800-CALL-FBI or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.

2:35 a.m.: Shooter contacted a 911 operator from inside Pulse. The call lasted approximately 50 seconds, the details of which are set out below in the FBI's unedited transcript of Mateen's dialogue with the 911 operator:

(OD)   Orlando Police Dispatcher

(OM)   Omar Mateen

OD:     Emergency 911, this is being recorded.

OM:     In the name of God the Merciful, the beneficent [Arabic]

OD:     What?

OM:     Praise be to God, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of God [Arabic]. I wanna let you know, I’m in Orlando and I did the shootings.

OD:     What’s your name?

OM:     My name is I pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State.

OD:     Ok, What’s your name?

OM:     I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi may God protect him [Arabic], on behalf of the Islamic State.

OD:     Alright, where are you at?

OM:     In Orlando.

OD:     Where in Orlando?

[End of call.]

Cox Media Group