Robert J O’Neill is an ex-Navy Seal that killed Osama Bin Laden, terror mastermind who was once the world’s most wanted man. His biography is explored.
The Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden — who was responsible for the September 11 attacks — met his end ten years later at the hands of the U.S. military.
Osama Bin Laden was killed on May 2, 2011, during a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Whenever his crimes and death are discussed, the name of a man who claimed to have been the one who actually killed him is mentioned.
Robert J. O’Neill, former United States Navy SEAL and self-acclaimed Osama Bin Laden murderer was in the news recently.
He was arrested in Texas as Frisco police said he faces misdemeanor charges of assault and public intoxication.
Following his arrest, many were intrigued to learn more about his life and and his one big achievement and how it all happened. Read on for more.
Image Credit: Alamy
Who killed Osama bin Laden?
Bin Laden was shot in the head in front of his screaming wife during a dramatic raid by U.S. Special Forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
The man behind the September 11 attacks was killed on May 2, 2011.
The 54-year-old bearded killer was gunned down by Navy Seal Team 6 — an elite unit known for its ruthlessness and bravery — in what was dubbed Operation Geronimo.
Seal Robert O’Neill claimed to have fired the killing shot on the terror kingpin, who had been taken off guard at his Pakistan hideout.
Image Source: Getty
Who is Robert O’Neill?
Robert J. O’Neill is a former member of the elite U.S. Navy Seals, TV news contributor, and author.
He was born on April 10, 1976, in Butte, Montana, United States to parents Tom O’Neill (father) and Diane Johnson (mother)
He is not an only child to his parents as he has a brother names Tom O’Neill.
O’Neill described his childhood in Butte as “idyllic”.
He graduated from Butte Central High School in 1994, and has attended Montana Technological University.
Robert O’Neill stands at a height of 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 meters). He also weighs 158 lbs (72 kg).
He gained an immense fame for claiming to be the sole individual to kill Osama bin Laden.
Robert O’Neill was part of a small team sent into Pakistan to kill the 9/11 mastermind in 2011.
Speaking to Piers Morgan on British TV in 2017, he said it took a while for it to sink in that he had just killed the most wanted man in the world, ending a decade-long global manhunt.
He said: “Then it kind of hit me a little bit. And one of my guys said, ‘Hey are you okay?’ and I said, ‘Yeah what do we do now?’
“He said ‘Now we find the computers, we’ve done this hundreds of times.’
“And I said, ‘Yeah right I’m back’ and he said, ‘Yeah man you just killed Bin Laden, your life just changed.'”
O’Neill hit back at Trump, tweeting: “Very brave men said goodbye to their kids to go kill Osama bin Laden.
“We were given the order by President Obama.
“It was not a body double. Thank you Mr. President. Happy birthday @USNavy.”
Why was Osama buried at sea?
Bin Laden’s body was given an “Islamic burial” and buried at sea.
Islamic tradition requires the dead to be buried as soon as possible unless an autopsy is required.
According to AlJazeera, U.S. officials confirmed traditional procedures were followed.
The body was washed and placed in a white sheet and then in a weighted bag.
After the reading of religious remarks, the body was placed on a board and thrown into the sea.
Where is Robert J. O’Neill now?
O’Neill has transitioned fully into a public figure role. He’s an author and a motivational speaker. O’Neill has also contributed to both FOX and Newsmax.
He’s been in the news for controversies regarding Osama’s death as well as other matters.
His claims about killing Osama bin Laden have been met with some controversy.
According to The Intercept, a former SEAL Team Six member told the publication that O’Neill’s claims about killing bin Laden were false. He stated that O’Neill found bin Laden “bleeding out on the floor, possibly already dead, after being shot in the chest and leg by the lead assaulter on the raid” and then proceeded to shoot him twice in the head. While O’Neill maintains that he was the trigger man, the U.S. government hasn’t officially clarified who pulled the trigger to this day.
In August 2020, O’Neill hit the headlines again when he was banned from Delta Air Lines for not wearing a mask on a flight, according to FOX. He attempted to appeal the company’s decision to their CEO and has maintained that he isn’t anti-mask.
Following that he shared his very straightforward opinion on wearing a mask.
He tweeted that he’s “not a p***y” in the caption to a picture showing him without a mask on board an airplane.
The tweet was later deleted, with O’Neill claiming it was his wife who deleted it.
In October 2020, O’Neill made headlines yet again for hitting back at former President Donald Trump when the latter retweeted a post claiming that Osama bin Laden hadn’t actually been killed in Operation Neptune Spear, according to Politico.
“Very brave men said [goodbye] to their kids to go kill Osama bin Laden. We were given the order by President Obama. It was not a body double,” Robert tweeted. “Thank you Mr. President. Happy birthday @USNavy.”
What is Robert J. O’Neill’s net worth?
Robert J. O’Neill now, the former Navy SEAL who claimed that he was the soldier responsible for killing Osama Bin Laden, has an estimated current net worth of $2.5 million, according to Idol Net Worth.
How does Robert J. O’Neill make his money? Today, aside from contributing to Newsmax, O’Neill is an entrepreneur and a public figure. With over 380,000 followers on Instagram, he has quite a sizable group of users keeping up with his day-to-day life. O’Neill is also the founder of an organization called Special Operators Transition Foundation, which according to their Instagram, “assists SOF veterans with the successful transition into their next great careers.”
When he isn’t hosting public speaking events, O’Neill is an accomplished author who has penned the likes of books such as The Operator and The Way Forward. On his official website, he provides a wealth of information about his professional life, including how to book him for speaking events, keep up with news in his life, and even shop a line of merchandise that he has created.
Although O’Neill has encountered some controversy in the past, it’s clear that he’s making the best of his situation.
Why was Robert J O’Neill arrested?
Per the New York Post, The Dallas Morning News reported that 47-year-old O’Neill was arrested in Texas on Wednesday, August 23, 2023.
He was hit with a “Class A misdemeanor charge of assault causing bodily injury and a Class C misdemeanor charge of public intoxication.”
However, prison records reportedly only listed the assault charge.
That same day, O’Neill was released from jail on a $3,500 bond.
On Friday, August 25, Frisco police would not release further information on the arrest.