America suffered its worst mass shooting in the nation’s history and the worst terrorist attack since 9/11 this weekend. In the early hours of June 12, a jihadist killed 49 people and injured at least 53 others at a homosexual nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The gunman, identified as 29-year-old Omar Mateen, entered the club armed with a high-powered AR-15 assault rifle and a handgun. Some sources allege he was also armed with a suicide vest. The ensuing standoff lasted until around 5 a.m., at which time Mateen was killed in a shootout with police.

Before beginning his attack, Mateen had called the 911 emergency service to pledge his allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. It wasn’t long after the attack that the Islamic State used Amaq news agency to claim responsibility for the shooting.

During the 911 call, Mateen referenced the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing carried out by the Tsarnaev brothers. The Boston bombing claimed the lives of three people, injured more than 260, and put the city on lockdown for more than a day.

Mateen, an American citizen who lived in Port St. Lucie, Florida, held an associates degree in criminal justice and worked as a security guard for a company called G4S. In 2006, he registered as a member of the Florida Democratic Party. But the normal appearance was a facade for his radical Islamic ideology.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation labeled Mateen “a person of interest” in 2013 and 2014. The investigation was canceled after the fbi failed to find evidence that would warrant further investigation. Mateen was also known for domestic violence, having allegedly assaulted his former wife on a number of occasions.

Although born in America, Mateen’s parents were both Afghan immigrants. Mateen’s father, Seddique Mir Mateen, issued a public apology via an nbc interview and claimed that the attack was not religiously motivated. Seddique said his son had been revolted by the sight of homosexual men kissing, which Seddique suggested was the reason behind the attack.

But Seddique’s own credibility is being questioned with the emergence of videos of him showing gratitude to the Taliban and denouncing the Pakistani government. He has also posted videos of himself posing as the Afghan president, and has declared his candidacy for the office despite living in Florida.

United States President Barack Obama offered condolences and prayers for the victims, as well as his gratitude to the responders. He gave an overview of the attack to-date, and although he stopped short of mentioning Islam, Mr. Obama said the shooting was “an act of terror and an act of hate.” The president also used the opportunity to advocate tougher gun control: “This massacre is … a further reminder of how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapon that lets them shoot people in a school, or in a house of worship, or a movie theater, or in a nightclub. And we have to decide if that’s the kind of country we want to be.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said that Mateen legally purchased two weapons within the last week.

Both presidential candidates released statements. Donald Trump focused on radical Islam, while Hillary Clinton backed President Obama by not mentioning Islam and instead focused on gun control. Clinton stated that the attack “reminds us once more that weapons of war have no place on our streets.”

The attacks also came during the Islamic month of Ramadan, occurring just two weeks shy of the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling to legalize same-sex “marriage.” It also occurred during “Pride Month,” on a weekend when a number of U.S. cities were hosting homosexual-pride festivals.

Police arrested another man on his way to a homosexual festival in Santa Monica, California. The man was carrying three assault rifles and chemicals used to make explosives. The event he was heading to usually draws tens of thousands of spectators. It is yet unclear what motivated the suspect.

The first victims of the Orlando shooting have already been named. Among them are drag queens and promoters of a homosexual cruise company. Many more victims are yet to be identified, as investigators continue the grisly task.

The shooting was the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil since Sept. 11, 2001, when hijackers crashed planes into the towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.

Keep watching the Trumpet for more news and analysis on this latest bloodshed in an increasingly volatile 2016.