true crime

Orlando shooter's chilling 911 calls have been released.

The FBI has released transcripts of the 911 call made by the gunman responsible for the Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida.

The disturbing documents reveal that Omar Mateen had one conversation with a 911 operator and three with Orlando Police Department’s crisis negotiation team, during which he identified as a soldier of Islam.

“I let you know, I’m in Orlando and I did the shootings,” Mateen told the 911 dispatcher.

When asked for his name, Mateen responded, “My name is I pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State.”

Video via CNN

Mateen was ultimately shot and killed by police, after massacring 49 people inside the gay nightclub using a semi-automatic rifle.

The transcripts show Mateen told negotiators that he was “out here right now” because of the United Sates’ bombing of Syria and Iraq.

ADVERTISEMENT

He also threatened to detonate a explosives, which he said were packed into a vehicle outside the nightclub. In a later call, he also claimed to be wearing an explosive vest like the ones “used in France” during last November’s terror attacks.

The FBI and US Department of Justice had earlier released a version of the 911 transcript that omitted any references to ISIS, sparking public outrage and accusations of censorship.

In a joint statement, officials from the two organisations said they had done so because they didn’t want to provide the terror group with a “publicity platform” that could be used for “hateful propaganda”.

“Unfortunately, the unreleased portions of the transcript that named the terrorist organizations and leaders have caused an unnecessary distraction from the hard work that the FBI and our law enforcement partners have been doing to investigate this heinous crime,” the statement read.

“As much of this information had been previously reported, we have re-issued the complete transcript to include these references in order to provide the highest level of transparency possible under the circumstances.”