[1] John Robert Neumann let himself into the building at 7:50 a.m. through a rear entrance, armed with a 9 mm handgun and two knives.

[10] Neumann's estranged sister stated that he had been emotionally abused by their mother as a child, which had turned him into "an angry person".

He was fired in April 2017 for starting fights with people and stealing the business's awnings and selling them on the side.

The father of Kevin Lawson stated that his son had told him he was afraid Neumann would attempt to harm the employees of Fiamma, and that there were rumors something would occur at the location.

[12] In the aftermath of the shooting, a local youth sports league raised money for the children of Kevin Clark, who were orphaned, as their mother had died nine years earlier in 2008.

Senator Bill Nelson stated in response to the shooting that "The city of Orlando, which is still healing from the Pulse massacre, has seen too much violence this past year".

[8][14] The Governor of Florida, Rick Scott, stated in response to the shooting that "Over the past year, the Orlando community has been challenged like never before", and that "I ask all Floridians to pray for the families impacted by this senseless act of violence".