--- description: The gunman, Omar Mateen, from the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub exchanged text messages with his wife during the shooting. title: Orlando Gunman Exchanged Texts With Wife During Shooting image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt138c72e60c3a4479/698897df524fc020c1df8613/omar-mateen.jpg?branch=production&width=750&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Orlando Gunman Exchanged Texts With Wife During Shooting by [Susan Keating and Char Adams / People](/author/people/) ## Susan Keating and Char Adams / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 17, 2016 8:55 PM CUT  This undated file image shows Omar Mateen, who authorities say killed dozens of people inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. on June 12, 2016. This undated file image shows Omar Mateen, who authorities say killed dozens of people inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. on June 12, 2016.MySpace/AP by [Susan Keating and Char Adams / People](/author/people/) ## Susan Keating and Char Adams / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 17, 2016 8:55 PM CUT The gunman who [killed 49 people and injured 53](http://www.people.com/article/orlando-shooting-victims-identified "undefined") in Sunday’s [mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub](http://www.people.com/article/pulse-gay-nightclub-shooting-orlando "undefined") exchanged text messages with his wife during the shooting, three law enforcement sources confirm to PEOPLE. The sources tell PEOPLE that at around 2 a.m. on Sunday morning, the mother of shooter [Omar Mateen](http://www.people.com/article/orlando-gunman-investigated-fbi-marty-coworkers "undefined") allegedly called Mateen’s wife, [Noor Zahi Salman](http://www.people.com/article/orlando-shooter-wife-knew "undefined"), wondering where her son was. Salman said she didn’t know, and allegedly texted her husband, “Where are you,” the source says. In response, the source says, Mateen texted back, “Do you see what’s happening.” His wife allegedly replied “No?” according to the source. Mateen then texted: “I love you, babe.” Mateen opened fire on the gay-friendly nightclub at around 2 a.m. and was killed hours later in a shootout with police. “One of the things being looked at is why Mateen’s mother called the wife,” the source tells PEOPLE. “Why did she go looking for her married son in the middle of the night?” After the text exchange, Salman allegedly tried calling her husband on his cell phone, the source says. Hours later, authorities were at Salman and Mateen’s home, ordering Salman to come out with her hands up. [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/16/us/orlando-shooter-omar-mateen/index.html "undefined") first reported news of the text exchange. Salman has not spoken publicly about the incident. Law enforcement officials reportedly told [Fox News](http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/15/federal-prosecutors-convene-grand-jury-to-investigate-wife-orlando-massacre-gunman-source-says.html "undefined") that federal prosecutors have convened a grand jury to investigate Salman. “If the wife knew he was planning to do this, and if she helped him prepare for it, she can be charged,” the source says. “If the evidence supports it, she could be charged with murder and accessory to murder.” _This_ [_article_](http://www.people.com/article/orlando-shooting-text-wife-messages-pulse "undefined") _originally appeared on_ [_People.com_](http://people.com "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4373761/orlando-shooting-omar-mateen-texted-wife/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4373761/orlando-shooting-omar-mateen-texted-wife/"},"headline":"Orlando Gunman Exchanged Texts With Wife During Shooting","datePublished":"2016-06-17T20:55:38.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T22:41:40.366Z","description":"\"Do you see what's happening?\"","url":"https://time.com/4373761/orlando-shooting-omar-mateen-texted-wife/","keywords":["Crime","Orlando Shooting"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt138c72e60c3a4479/698897df524fc020c1df8613/omar-mateen.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Susan Keating and Char Adams / People"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt138c72e60c3a4479/698897df524fc020c1df8613/omar-mateen.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Omar Mateen","caption":"This undated file image shows Omar Mateen, who authorities say killed dozens of people inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. on June 12, 2016.","creditText":"MySpace/AP","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":"https://time.com/4373761/orlando-shooting-omar-mateen-texted-wife/","name":"Orlando Gunman Exchanged Texts With Wife During Shooting"}}]}] ```