Orlando plans permanent memorial for Pulse nightclub shooting victims
- Survivors and family members of the Pulse nightclub victims are touring the site before its demolition.
- The city of Orlando has committed to building a permanent memorial at the site to honor those lost in the tragedy.
- The planned memorial aims to provide the community with a respectful space for reflection and healing.
In Orlando, Florida, the community commemorates the nine-year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting that resulted in the deaths of 49 people on June 12, 2016. The nightclub is set to be demolished, giving survivors and family members an opportunity to tour the building one last time before its razing. Nearly 250 attack survivors and family members are participating in private tours, facilitated by city officials to help them find closure. The mayor, Buddy Dyer, expressed the city’s intent to transform the site into a permanent memorial honoring the victims, reflecting years of community efforts to memorialize this tragedy, the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history at the time. The Pulse shooting not only affected those directly involved but resonated deeply across the LGBTQ+ community and beyond, prompting discussions about safety, gun control, and hate crimes. The massacre remains etched in the memories of families and survivors, many of whom continue to seek recognition and healing for the trauma endured. City officials purchased the nightclub property with plans to honor the victims by creating a space for reflection and remembrance.