Orlando Killer Was Born in New Hyde Park

Omar Mateen, the man police say gunned down 49 people in the deadliest mass shooting U.S. history, was born in New Hyde Park and spent several years of his childhood on Long Island.

Mateen, 29, listed his birthplace as the Queens side of New Hyde Park on a change of name petition that was first obtained by Spencer Ackerman, a reporter for The Guardian.

Mateen lived on Land Lane in Westbury for several years before moving to Florida, according to a New York Daily News report.

He attended Bowling Green Elementary School and a former neighbor described him as "very restless" and "a very hard child to control," the report says.

A former Florida high school classmate of Mateen's told Newsday that Mateen openly celebrated the 9/11 attacks.

Mateen walked into a packed gay nightclub in Orlando at closing time early Sunday, opening fire on dozens of people and holding hostages for hours before he was killed by police.

Here's what we know so far according to reports and law enforcement sources:

THE SHOOTER

• He was 29 years old;
• His parents are from Afghanistan;
• He was born in New York but lived in Fort Pierce, Florida;
• He was divorced, and his ex-wife told reporters he beat her;
• He was twice investigated by the FBI: in 2013 and 2014. The first time was in response to workers who said he claimed Al Qaeda affiliation. FBI monitored his communication, followed him, finally confronted him. He admitted making comments but said it was because co-workers made fun of him for being Muslim. Case was closed;
• In 2014, it was in regards to possible links between him and a man from Florida who became a suicide bomber in Syria. That investigation was also closed;
• He made two trips to Saudi Arabia for a pilgrimage considered a step below a pilgrimage to Mecca;
• In his call to 911 he pledged allegiance to ISIS and referenced the Boston Marathon bombing; FBI Director James Comey says there so far is no evidence linking him to ISIS - or any other group - through contact or training;
• Mateen's father has linked his son's action to hatred of gays;
• He worked for a security firm for nine years and was licensed to carry firearms;
• Before entering the security business, he had a variety of jobs at places like a GNC Nutrition Store, Circuit City, Gold's Gym and Chick Fil-A';
• He used a handgun and an AR-type rifle, the same type of weapon used in the shootings in San Bernardino, California; Newtown, Connecticut; and Aurora, Colorado;
• The guns were legally purchased in the 12 days before the shooting;
• A couple of weeks ago he tried unsuccessfully to purchase body armor;
• Mateen did not have a criminal record.

THE SHOOTING

• Mateen parks van outside of Pulse nightclub just before 2 a.m. and shoots his way into the club. He is met by an off-duty uniformed officer working security at the club. The officer calls for help. Sateen flees into a bathroom, taking hostages.
• The club posts on social media that people need to run. By 2:15, a police SWAT team has established a base in a bathroom near where Mateen has hostages. They talk with him, and he leads them to believe he will start killing people.
• At 2:30, Mateen makes the first of what will be three phone calls with 911. He hangs up but then calls back. The third conversation happens when the dispatcher calls him. There is talk of ISIS, the Boston Marathon bombers, bomb vests and explosives.
• Just after 5 a.m., Orlando Police become concerned he is going to start killing again. They detonate two explosives in an attempt to distract him. They then use an armored vehicle to breach a wall, allowing hostages to escape. Mateen also makes his way through the hole. Shots are exchanged. One officer, who was wearing a Kevlar helmet, is hit in the head but is OK. Mateen is shot and killed.
• Just before 6 a.m., Orlando Police tweet that the shooter is dead.

Reporting by Greg Hambrick and Colin Miner