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Orlando shooting: Barack Obama meets victims and pleads for unity

  • America is in mourning after the worst mass shooting in its history
  • Omar Mateen's attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando left 49 people dead
  • So-called Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack
  • President Obama says there is no clear evidence the gunman was directed by IS
  • Witnesses have claimed that Mateen was a regular visitor to the club he attacked
  • His wife said she tried to talk him out of conducting any kind of attack
  • His father has blamed security at the club for the attack
  • One gun shop refused to sell him ammunition as he was acting suspiciously

Follow the latest updates on ITV News.

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Father of Orlando killer blames nightclub over deaths

Seddique Mateen said he was also a victim of his son's rampage Credit: RTV

The father of the Orlando gunman has suggested that the LGBT club targeted in the attack could be to partially to blame for failing to organise tight enough security.

Seddique Mateen said that more guards might have stopped his son Omar from carrying out his rampage with an assault weapon capable of killing dozens within seconds.

"Maybe they had some kind of sloppy security," he told a rambling news conference this afternoon.

If they had tight security they would have eliminated my son - that would have been good, we wouldn't have this nightmare and these losses for the families.

– Seddique Mateen

Mr Mateen also insisted that he was also "a victim of terrorism" as his son was among the dead after the attack on Pulse nightclub.

"This is the nightmare for a father or mother," he said.

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Orlando shooting: Barack Obama meets victims and pleads for unity

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