Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen
Donate
Podcasts Take Two
What can the US do to prevent homegrown terror?
solid orange rectangular banner
()
Take Two Logo
Jun 13, 2016
Listen • 8:59
What can the US do to prevent homegrown terror?
President Obama said today it appears that the Orlando shooting rampage was a case of "homegrown extremism."
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 12: U.S. President Barack Obama makes a statement regarding the Orlando mass shooting on June 12, 2016 in Washington, DC. At least 50 people were killed and 53 were injured after suspected gunman Omar Mateen opened fire in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
U.S. President Barack Obama makes a statement regarding the Orlando mass shooting on June 12, 2016 in Washington, DC. At least 50 people were killed and 53 were injured after suspected gunman Omar Mateen opened fire in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
(
Alex Wong/Getty Images
)

President Obama said today it appears that the Orlando shooting rampage was a case of "homegrown extremism."

Investigators today are still working to determine what led to the shooting rampage at a gay nightclub in Orlando early Sunday morning.

FBI Director James Comey held a press conference where he said it doesn't appear that the attacks were planned by a terrorist group and that the gunman, identified as Omar Mateen, had "strong indications of radicalization."

Mateen pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a call to 911 during the shooting, but President Obama said today there's no clear evidence that Mateen was directed by ISIS to conduct the attack.

The President added that it appears Mateen was inspired by extremist information he found online, and that the shooting he carried out was a case of "homegrown extremism."

Joining Take Two to discuss:

  • Tom Sanderson,  Senior Fellow and Director of the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)