Seven years have passed since the tragic Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, which claimed the lives of 49 individuals and injured 53 others. The shooting occurred in the early hours of June 12, 2016, when a 29-year-old man entered the building with two guns while the venue was hosting Latin Night. The majority of those present at the nightclub were Latinx.
The horror of the shooting sent waves of shock and grief throughout the LGBTQ+ community and around the world, as news of the 49 people between the ages of 18 and 50 being killed broke out. Pulse nightclub was a popular LGBTQ+ venue, and the shooting incident remains the most deadly attack against the LGBTQ+ community in the United States.
In late 2021, a fifth anniversary of the shooting was marked, with hundreds of individuals gathering in an Orlando church to remember the lives and legacies of those lost.
The families, friends, and allies of the victims have worked diligently to ensure that their loved ones’ memory is kept alive. Annually, vigils are held in Florida to commemorate those who lost their lives. The seventh anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting marks another somber moment of lamentation and remembrance for the families of the victims.
The incident has also stirred renewed demand for gun reform measures in the US, after a series of recent mass shootings occurred across the country. Some of the survivors of the Pulse nightclub shooting, who have been advocating for change for years, have expressed frustration with the lack of progress.
Leonel Melendez, a survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting, spoke about the lingering impacts of that traumatic experience, as he marked the fifth anniversary in 2021. Due to the shooting, he has impaired vision and hearing, and his recovery was arduous and ongoing. He said that stricter gun control laws were urgently needed to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.
On the event of the seventh anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting, it is important to remember the names of the 49 victims, honor their memory, and continue the fight towards gun reform measures to prevent further tragedies.
