Wife of Orlando shooting suspect possibly knew about attack before it happened, sources say

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
New details on gunman in Orlando massacre
Josh Einiger reports from Orlando with the latest developments in the nightclub massacre.

ORLANDO, Florida (WABC) -- The wife of the Orlando shooting suspect is being considered for criminal charges for possibly knowing about the attack before it happened, law enforcement sources tell ABC News.

The sources said detectives are trying to determine what and how much 30-year-old Noor Mateen knew before the shooting that left 49 people dead early Sunday morning.

She apparently drove with Omar Mateen to the Pulse Nightclub at least once in the past, according to the sources.

Noor Mateen is claiming that she may have tried to talk him out of attack, although officials note that she may just be saying this to help herself out.

Sources close to the investigation also said Noor was with Omar when he recently bough ammo an a holster. The couple recently went to the Disney World area, though authorities are unclear if it was a family trip or Mateen was there to case out a possible target location.

Authorities say Noor was not initially forthcoming with investigators, but she began to open up and cooperate after pressure from investigators.

Noor Mateen finally agreed to answer investigators' questions after they showed her - among other things - closed-circuit TV footage showing her with her husband at locations in Orlando, two officials briefed on the probe said.

Investigators are trying to determine whether they were scouting possible attack targets.

After she started answering questions, agents polygraphed her to determine whether she was telling them the truth.