Police say Pulse nightclub owners will not be charged in fatal mass shooting
nme.coma mass shooting at the LGBTQ+ nightclub in Orlando left 49 people dead and injured 53 more. The gunman, 29-year-old Omar Mateen, who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, was shot dead by police.Now, eight years after the shooting, local police have closed their investigation into former owners Barbara and Rosario Poma, having found no probable cause for involuntary manslaughter by culpable negligence.Last year, multiple survivors of the tragedy, as well as family members of those who were killed in the shooting filed complaints with the police department, citing the owners’ alleged violations of building codes.They claimed first responders were unable to properly access the club after the shooting because of capacity restrictions, unpermitted renovations and inaccessible building plans.In an emailed statement to The Associated Press, the Orlando Police investigators determined the Pomas’ had not acted “with a reckless disregard for human life” and said that “they could not have reasonably foreseen or anticipated a terrorist incident taking place at Pulse”.The Facebook group Pulse Families and Survivors for Justice have since responded, saying: “It’s a stretch for the Orlando Police Department to say a terrorist attack was not foreseeable, therefore the code violations were not reckless.“Plenty of more ordinary emergencies would be impacted by the code violations: fire, stampede, building collapse, power outage, medical emergencies, tornado, etc,” they wrote.“As well, active shooters are sadly not outside the norm.
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