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ORLANDO, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Five days after the Orlando mass shooting, the deadliest in the U.S. history, TV production trucks were still camping out under the smoldering Florida sun outside the Woodland Condominium in Fort Pierce, waiting for any people that may go out or come home.
It was the place where the shooter, Omar Mateen, had lived along with his second wife and three-year-old son. Last Sunday, he opened fire at the crowd in the club Pulse with an AR-15 assault rifle, leaving 49 people dead and 53 others injured, including some who remain in critical conditions.
Reporters are still digging for Mateen's motivation -- was it a terrorist attack or a hate crime? Was he self-radicalized by the Islamic State's extreme ideology, or was he simply steeped in his hatred toward the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender) community?
One 150 miles (185 kilometers) away from the Condominium, the crime scene remain sealed and heavily guarded. Multiple roads are still closed to the traffic, with police tapes and vehicles blocking the entrance.
Colorful paper stars with messages like "Love is stronger than hate" and "God bless Orlando" hang on the gate of the temporary Orlando Police Department command post, inside which FBI agents and police officers continue the investigation.
Information released by investigation authorities throughout the week has slowly helped piece together a vague picture of Mateen. The 29-year-old Afghan-American was reportedly abusive of his first wife; he frequented gay bars and had gay socializing apps installed on his computer; he failed multiple times to start a career in law enforcement.
He texted his current wife and updated his Facebook status during the attack. Weeks before the atrocity, a gun shop turned him away from purchasing body armor and bulk ammunition and reported to the FBI, a clue that went largely unnoticed.
Yet the jigsaw remains far from being finished. Even the gay dating app he had allegedly been using wanted to learn more about him.
"Any of our members who think they have been in contact with Omar Mateen on Adam4Adam, please get in touch with us," Adam4Adam posted on its Facebook page.
In the meantime, support has been flooding in from across the country to help heal the trauma.
A makeshift memorial was set up across the road from the Orlando City Hall. People from all over the country have come to pay tribute to the victims with flowers, candles, pinwheels, photos and signs with commemorative and encouraging words.
Besides the memorial were a group of volunteers who prepared chilled water and snacks for visitors.
"I think it's really important to know that this won't just define us. We can come together, stronger than any one person can take away from us," said Ashlee Smith, a volunteer at the site since Tuesday.
On Wednesday, 12 golden retrievers came to Orlando as emotional support dogs, offering comfort to victims and their families.
The dogs and their handlers visited hospitals, attended vigils and met with the staff of the club. This emotional support dogs team has reportedly comforted victims of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting.
At a casket company west of downtown Orlando, workers were busy preparing caskets for the funeral of some victims. Kelly Greenwood, vice president of the company, said he hoped the families and friends of the victims can come out of the tragedy stronger.
On crowdfunding site gofundme.com, a campaign to support victims of the shooting has collected 5 million U.S. dollars. The local LGBT rights organization that started the campaign said it plans for the fund to be distributed to families of the victims.
"Please know that my prayers and love are sent in the way of unity and love for all," said Marie D. Meyer, one of the donors, "This tragic, horrific moment brings us closer with love and compassion for all."
