Employer Made Mistake That Could've Caused Mass Killing

Employer Made Mistake That Could've Caused Mass Killing

By: Daniel Steingold | September 12, 2016

Three months after the massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, the former employer of perpetrator Omar Mateen is being held financially liable for its negligence.

G4S Secure Solutions, which hired Mateen in 2007, had filed forms with the state of Florida inaccurately stating that Mateen had passed a psychological evaluation that authorized him to carry a gun.

The problem? The psychologist listed as having performed this evaluation did not do so— in fact, she was retired at the time, not even living in the state.

Upon finding out about G4S’ negligence with Mateen, the state found an additional 1,513 forms submitted on behalf of G4S employees with the same mistake over a four year period. Each violation warranted a $100 fine, resulting in a total fine of $151,400.

G4S called the mistake “an administrative error” and said they “took measures to ensure this error would not be repeated” upon learning about it.

Still, G4S was adamant “that psychological tests were conducted.”

The fact that Mateen raised no red flags with his purchase and possession of armed weapons has puzzled law enforcement. He was a U.S. citizen with no criminal record or drug history. He had not been deemed mentally incompetent by any party, and had no history of violent acts.

In fact, many described Mateen as “a nice, quiet man” who attended prayer sessions with his young son at his local mosque in St. Pierce, Florida.

A number of organizations have endorsed intervention methods for extremists since the attack, in the hopes that future incidents could be prevented.


Find the Perfect Job for You

DreamHire recommends you jobs that fit your
skills, experiences, career goals, and more.