--- description: The Orlando nightclub gunman spoke to police by phone on Sunday and told them he would strap explosives to hostages inside the building title: Orlando Nightclub Gunman Threatened to Strap Explosives to Hostages image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4ed6e63c38d0a8be/698898182dce01a81d9e97d7/orlando-shooting2.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Orlando Shooting](/tag/orlando-shooting/) ## Orlando Shooting Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Orlando Nightclub Gunman Threatened to Strap Explosives to Hostages  by [Katie Reilly](/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 15, 2016 11:29 PM CUT  FBI agents investigate near the damaged rear wall of the Pulse Nightclub where Omar Mateen allegedly killed at least 50 people on June 12, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. FBI agents investigate near the damaged rear wall of the Pulse Nightclub where Omar Mateen allegedly killed at least 50 people on June 12, 2016 in Orlando, Florida.Joe Raedle—Getty Images  by [Katie Reilly](/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 15, 2016 11:29 PM CUT The [gunman who attacked an Orlando gay nightclub](http://time.com/4368674/orlando-shooting-omar-mateen-2/ "undefined"), leaving 49 dead on Sunday spoke to police by phone during the incident and told them he would [strap explosives to hostages](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/us/orlando-shooting.html?%5Fr=0 "undefined") inside the building, according to the city’s mayor. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said Wednesday that people trapped inside the building also warned family members and 911 operators that the shooter, [Omar Mateen](http://time.com/4368275/mateen-orlando-why-he-killed/ "undefined"), was threatening to use bombs and an explosive vest, the [New York _Times_ reported](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/us/orlando-shooting.html?%5Fr=0 "undefined"). Law enforcement officials have not yet found evidence of any explosives in the building, according to the _Times_. “We had a lot of information from the inside and they independently were saying yes, the bomber is about to put on an explosive vest,” Dyer said. \[[New York _Times_](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/us/orlando-shooting.html?%5Fr=0 "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4370907/orlando-shooting-gunman-explosives-bombs-hostages/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4370907/orlando-shooting-gunman-explosives-bombs-hostages/"},"headline":"Orlando Nightclub Gunman Threatened to Strap Explosives to Hostages","datePublished":"2016-06-15T23:29:41.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T22:38:16.041Z","description":"Law enforcement officials have not found evidence of bombs in the building","url":"https://time.com/4370907/orlando-shooting-gunman-explosives-bombs-hostages/","keywords":["Orlando Shooting","Crime","Florida"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4ed6e63c38d0a8be/698898182dce01a81d9e97d7/orlando-shooting2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Katie Reilly","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4ed6e63c38d0a8be/698898182dce01a81d9e97d7/orlando-shooting2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"At Least 50 Dead In Mass Shooting At Gay Nightclub In Orlando","caption":"At Least 50 Dead In Mass Shooting At Gay Nightclub In Orlando","creditText":"Joe Raedle—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/us/","name":"U.S."}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/orlando-shooting/","name":"Orlando Shooting"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4370907/orlando-shooting-gunman-explosives-bombs-hostages/","name":"Orlando Nightclub Gunman Threatened to Strap Explosives to Hostages"}}]}] ```