Orlando Shooter Omar Mateen’s Ex-Wife Says He was ‘Mentally ill’

She added that Mateen’s “deeply disturbed” mental state can be the only possible explanation behind the shooting.

Omar Mateen’s ex-wife Sitora Yusufiy (R). (Photo: YouTube Screengrab)

Omar Mateen’s ex-wife, Sitora Yusufiy, has revealed that he was “bipolar” and “emotionally unstable.”

Talking to reporters near Boulder, Colorado, Yusufiy opened up about her marriage with Mateen.

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In the aftermath of the Florida nightclub shooting on 12 June that left 50 people dead and over 53 injured, Yusufiy’s comments are creating a disturbing image of the shooter.

In the beginning he was a normal being that cared about family, loved to joke, loved to have fun. A few months after we were married I saw his instability, he was bipolar, and he would get mad out of nowhere, and that’s when I started worrying about my safety.

Sitora Yusufiy, Omar Mateen’s ex-wife

She also mentioned that she was physically abused by Mateen.

Then after a few months he started abusing me physically, very often, and not allowing me to speak to my family, and keeping me hostage from them.

She further mentioned that Mateen’s “deeply disturbed” mental state can be the only possible explanation that triggered his actions on 12 June.

(With inputs from AP.)