Speaking from his Port Saint Lucie home, the father of the Orlando gunman condemning and apologizing for his son's actions that deadly night.
“I wish I did know that…what he was doing,” says Seddique Mateen. “If I did catch him, I would arrested him myself.”
Mateen spoke to News Channel 5 for about 20 minutes, emphasizing throughout the interview that doesn't condone what his son did, and he doesn't forgive him.
He insists his actions do not reflect his upbringing.
Seddique says the last time he saw his son was the day before the attack.
He says his never left a note, a message, or any indication that this was about to happen.
“I would call law enforcement in a minute if I knew he was what he was up to,” Mateen says. “I wouldn't have even allowed him two minutes. Because…I am against violence, I'm against terror. What he did was a terror.”
He says now his family is dealing with the aftermath - especially the shooter's 3 year old son.
“He's really sad, he's asking about his dad. ‘Where is my dad, where's my dad’ because they're always together.
“I will tell him at a point that he can handle it. That what his father did was wrong and horrible and nobody approves of his actions and he was on his own…and what he did was all of his affair.”
News Channel 5 asked Seddique about the motivations behind the attack - he initially said after the attack that his son saw two gay men kissing on south beach and that may have upset him.
When asked if Seddique and his family condemn homosexuality, he responded “Who am I to condemn anybody?”
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The father of the gunman in the Orlando nightclub shooting has again spoken publicly.
Seddique Mateen claims his son was not a radical, which he says would entail growing out his beard and he says that his son Omar didn't neglect his family.
From inside his home in Port St. Lucie, Mateen said he did not suspect anything. He says he was as shocked as the rest of the community at his son’s actions.
“I don’t know why he did what he did,” Mateen said.
He said he was very sorry and very upset at what his son did.
“I apologize for what my son did,” Mateen said.
Mateen offered his condolences to everyone who lost a loved one and wished anyone that was injured a speedy recovery.
