Early reports on the background of the gunman at the centre of an attack which left at least 50 people dead at a Florida nightclub paint a picture of a violent and prejudiced young man.
The suspect, 29-year-old Omar Mateen, is a Muslim American of Afghan descent and police are investigating whether he may have had a terrorist motive.
US law enforcement is investigating whether he had links to — or was inspired by — Islamist terrorism.
And US media, citing law enforcement sources, reported that he called police during the massacre to claim allegiance to the Islamic State group.
But relatives interviewed by US media say Mateen, who worked as a security officer, was not overly religious but had anti-gay views and had regularly assaulted his ex-wife.
Mateen's shocked father, Mir Seddique, said his son had recently been offended to see two gay men expressing affection on a Miami street.
"We were in downtown Miami, Bayside, people were playing music," the father told NBC News in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
"And he saw two men kissing each other in front of his wife and kid and he got very angry."
The attack, which became the worst mass shooting in modern US history, was carried out in the Pulse nightclub, a well-known gay hangout.
"We are in shock like the whole country," Mr Seddique added.
"This had nothing to do with religion.