The local sheriff in St. Lucie County is discussing the red flags surrounding Omar Mateen in 2013. Sheriff Ken Mascara is looking back like so many others who encountered Mateen…

One of the worst shooting massacres in the recent history hits home on St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara’s watch.

He’s among the millions of people also wondering how the shooting massacre in Orlando could have been prevented.

Mateen was contracted through G4S Secure Solutions to do security at the courthouse.

His G4S coworkers complained to authorities in 2013 about racist comments he would make. Mascara said those complaints were unsubstantiated, but deputies also complained, adding weight to the concerns.

“Those comments involved derogatory comments about women, about Jews, and referenced, on occasion, that the Fort Hood shooter was justified in his actions because he was aware that the person was picked on by other Army personnel,” Mascara said.

The courthouse supervisor first requested that G4S management transfer Mateen out of the courthouse rotation permanently. That was immediately granted, Mascara said.

The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office notified the FBI.

“When they reported back to us that they couldn’t confirm any threat that this young man posed to our community, we felt confident in their ability to investigate it,” Mascara said.

The sheriff also said the FBI did not tell local authorities that there was a need to monitor Mateen.

“Do you feel like there was more information [the FBI] could have given you”

“Maybe. Correct,” Mascara said.

Read more: wptv