EP. 251 - FLORIDA: THE PULSE MASSACRE, PART FOUR: THE PULSE BEATS ON

Summary

Murder In America EP. 251 – FLORIDA: THE PULSE MASSACRE, PART FOUR: THE PULSE BEATS ON (June 26, 2026)

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Episode Overview

The fourth and final installment of Murder in America's Pulse series, “The Pulse Beats On,” delves into the aftermath and enduring impact of the June 12, 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida. Hosts Courtney Shannon and Colin Browen explore the immediate response, the indelible scars on survivors and families, the fraught debates over motive and policing, community healing, the drive for memorialization, and the ways love and activism continue in the tragedy's wake. Through survivor accounts, interviews, and extensive research, this episode encapsulates a tragedy that set a new precedent for mass shootings in the U.S. and remains a watershed event for the LGBTQ community and the nation.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. National & Global Mourning

• Immediate Aftermath: The world awoke on June 12, 2016, to news of the most deadly mass shooting in U.S. history, with 49 lives lost in a single night—a moment that shocked the public and set new standards of horror (04:23–06:52).
  • “As the number of victims began to climb, the shooting earned a new title...49 lives gone...in a targeted, violent attack.” — Courtney Brown (04:23)
• Vigils & Unity: Vigils in Orlando and worldwide, with rainbow symbolism, flags at half-mast, and outpourings of support signaled solidarity, particularly with the LGBTQ community (09:10–10:55).
  • “All over the world, people were honoring the victims' lives...all the signs and all the flags, said one thing...that the world sees you and we love you.” — Courtney (09:10)

2. Community Support & Human Kindness

• Donations & Acts of Kindness: Massive response through blood drives, fundraisers (over $9 million raised), and gestures like children hanging hearts on victims’ doors (10:55–14:31).
  • “[These children] were taught to love. This is what we need to do in our world. It's time to teach our youth that love has no boundaries.” — Survivor (13:15)
• Personal Stories: The episode details moving stories, like that of Omar Ocasio Capo’s grandmother receiving love from flight passengers and the collective mourning at his funeral (14:41–18:19).

3. Grief, Funerals, and Public Response

• Burying the Victims: Funerals were marked by support but also marred by hatred from some religious groups; community counter-protests and “angel wings” protected families from hate speech (18:19–24:37).
  • “They formed a human chain blocking the view of the signs...the love and protection that the community offered the victims' families continued.” — Courtney (21:23)
• Lasting Scars: Some families were troubled by their loved ones’ proximity in burial to the shooter (30:07–30:50).

4. Debates on Motive: Terror, Hate, or Both?

• Initial Theories: Omar Mateen claimed allegiance to ISIS in 911 calls, but investigations found no direct connection—he appeared self-radicalized through online content (37:36–42:56).
  • “No texts with others regarding radical beliefs. No documents, calls, or images linking him to ISIS...his texts with loved ones were normal.” — Courtney (39:40)
  • “He had been self radicalized, which really is just a way to say that he consumed content...designed to push his ideology into radical, violent territory.” — Colin (40:47)
• Hate Crime Debate: Community leaders, FBI, and others diverged on labeling the attack as terrorism, a hate crime, or both; rumors of Mateen’s sexuality and motive swirled but were largely unsubstantiated (46:35–50:45).
• Final Consensus: Investigators ultimately determined Pulse was likely a “convenient target,” not specifically selected due to its LGBTQ clientele. Many in the LGBTQ community continued to experience hate in the attack’s aftermath, regardless of intent (50:45–53:02).

5. Law Enforcement Response & Controversy

• Delayed Action: Survivors and critics argued police took too long to act, with hostages left for hours (53:02–63:51).
  • “They took too damn long.” — Survivor Tiara Parker (53:02)
  • “If your plan was to come busting through them walls...you put us at risk regardless.” — Demetrius Knowlings, survivor (60:35)
• Investigations & Defense: Law enforcement defended the slow response due to bomb threats and the protocol for hostage scenarios; formal reviews found police actions consistent with policies, but bodycam footage and survivor testimony questioned these findings (63:51–66:35).
• Controversial Shooting Incident: Police fired upon an injured survivor mistaking him for the shooter, and then misrepresented their actions under oath (66:35–69:26).

6. The Impact on First Responders

• PTSD & Aftermath: Many first responders suffered psychological trauma—some unable to return to police work, others died by suicide, highlighting the unseen toll of the tragedy (69:26–74:37).
  • “I've never been the same since. I can't go back.” — Officer Jerry Reeland (69:26)
  • “[Officer] Delgado stated that he had a reoccurring nightmare of seeing bodies piled up on the dance floor.” — Courtney (71:19)

7. Noor Salman Trial: Justice and Scapegoating?

• Mateen’s Widow: Noor Salman was interrogated at length, faced prosecution for aiding and abetting, but was ultimately acquitted—her trial highlighted public need for a target and the effect of lacking evidence due to unrecorded interrogation (74:37–80:41).
  • “[The defense stated] people were angry and they needed someone to blame. The shooter was dead and they needed a new target.” — Courtney (79:39)

8. Healing, Memorialization, and Ongoing Activism

• Anniversaries & Memorials: Vigils and events marked anniversaries, focusing on love and remembrance (81:23–85:02).
  • “Love on one another. Hold on to one another...Love wins.” — Courtney (83:21–83:47)
• Pulse Site’s Future: After a decade of debate and stalled plans, the city purchased the site with plans for a permanent memorial; survivors and families had mixed feelings about preserving or demolishing the club (85:02–92:57).
• Rainbow Crosswalk Controversy: In 2025, the rainbow memorial crosswalk was painted over by state officials in a highly politicized act, igniting local anger and swift makeshift restoration by the community (92:57–97:12).
  • “Hastily removing part of a memorial...without any supporting safety data or discussion is a cruel political act.” — Courtney quoting Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer (95:35)

9. Advocacy & The Pulse Legacy

• Gun Law Reform: Efforts to pass gun safety reforms in Pulse's aftermath failed, and mass shootings have continued to rise since (97:23–100:04).
• Enduring Activism: Survivors such as Brandon Wolf created organizations (The Drew Project, Q Latinx) supporting LGBTQ youth and communities, channeling grief into meaningful social impact (101:25–102:36).
• Love as Legacy: The episode closes with survivor Patience Carter’s story—a testament to the resilience and love that have grown out of the tragedy (102:36–104:34).
  • “As counterintuitive as it might be to think of an event so tragic as a gift, I hope that the legacy of the Pulse nightclub shooting can be about love.” — Patience Carter, survivor (103:49)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “This is an attack on our people. An attack on Orlando, an attack on Florida, an attack on America. An attack on all of us.” — Florida Governor Rick Scott (04:23)
• “Signs that read ‘Love is Love’ peppered the city and beyond. Orlando Strong banners hung from bridges and porches.” — Colin (10:55)
• “She made you feel like you were on the stage there with her. For Minnie, the vigil was a way to reconnect with who Kim was...just keep dancing.” — Friend of Kimberly K.J. Morris (20:20)
• “There's no tragedy. I wish the government would round them all up, put them up against a wall...blow their brains out. The only tragedy is that more of them didn’t die.” — Pastor Roger Jimenez (21:23)
• “Hate wasn’t going to be allowed to cloud the beauty of the lives that were lost. We lived in a new world...those people were the minority.” — Colin (24:37)
• “If law enforcement had intervened faster, lives could have been saved. But there was nothing prompt about their response.” — Colin (61:43)
• “I've never been the same since. I can't go back.” — Officer Jerry Reeland (69:26)
• “If Pulse taught me anything, it’s that none of us can exist without love. The legacy that night has left...is to see that love is the axis on which the world spins.” — Patience Carter (103:49)

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• The world reacts, mourning and unity: 04:23–10:55
• Acts of kindness, blood drive, and personal stories: 10:55–18:19
• Funerals, counter-protests, angel wings: 18:19–24:37
• Ongoing debate: hate crime or terrorism? 37:36–53:02
• Police response controversies and survivor stories: 53:02–69:26
• First responder trauma and suicides: 69:26–74:37
• Noor Salman’s trial and public blame: 74:37–81:23
• Anniversaries, memorials, and Pulse site preservation: 81:23–92:57
• Rainbow crosswalk controversy: 92:57–97:12
• Gun reform efforts and ongoing mass shootings: 97:12–100:04
• Demolition, creation of memorial, and survivor advocacy: 100:04–104:34
• Love as the enduring legacy (Patience Carter’s story): 102:36–104:34

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Conclusion: The Pulse Beats On

This episode weaves together the shock of tragedy, the resilience of a community, and the ongoing battles for recognition, justice, and remembrance. Through survivor testimony, hard questions about policing, and the enduring activism that followed, Courtney and Colin underscore the central message: love endures and transforms even the darkest of events, ensuring that the Pulse and its community live on.

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Transcript

[Courtney Brown]

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[Colin Browen]

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[Courtney Brown]

Various 18

[Colin Browen]

Warning the following podcast is not suitable for all audiences. We go into great detail with every case that we cover and do our best to bring viewers even deeper into the stories by utilizing disturbing audio and sound effects.

[Courtney Brown]

Trigger warnings from the stories we cover may include violence, rape, murder and offenses against children.

[Colin Browen]

This podcast is not for everyone. You have been warned.

[Courtney Brown]

When the world Woke up on June 12, 2016, they were faced with headlines full of words that have become more and more common. Mass shooting. Massacre. Hate crime. As the number of victims began to climb throughout the morning and afternoon, the shooting earned a new title at the time the most deadly mass shooting in U.S. history. 49 lives gone in one night in a targeted violent attack that afternoon, Florida Governor Rick Scott posted on Twitter saying, quote, this is an attack on our people. An attack on Orlando, an attack on Florida, an attack on America. An attack on all of us. End quote. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, one question was louder than all the rest. And to this day, it's a question that truly hasn't Been answered.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Why?

[Courtney Brown]

Why did the gunman arm himself with two guns, walk into Pulse nightclub and change the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people? To some, it was a clear terrorist attack. To others, it was an attack on the LGBTQ community, a clear hate crime. But in today's episode, we are going to walk you through the aftermath of this tragedy, which is the final part of our Pulse series. So with that, I'm Courtney Brown.

[Colin Browen]

And I'm Colin Browen.

[Courtney Brown]

And you're listening to Murder in America.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Sam.

[Colin Browen]

June 12, 2016, and the days that followed carried a heaviness that back then, just 10 years ago, felt very new. This was before Parkland, before the Vegas shooting, before Sutherland Springs or Uvalde or Lewiston. There had been mass shootings before, but a shooting of this scale was earth shattering. 27 people had died at Sandy Hook in 2012, 32 at Virginia Tech in 2007. But by midday on June 12, those numbers had been surpassed by Pulse. There was a new dark record set that day in US history books. Early reports said 35, then 40, then 45, before finally landing at 49 deaths as a result of the Pulse nightclub shooting. It was unlike anything the US had seen. And with it came the panic, the questions, the fear. Why had this happened? How? People wanted answers. And by 1:30pm, less than 12 hours after the Pulse nightclub shooting had begun, President Barack Obama stepped into the White House briefing room to try and provide them. For the first time Today, as Americans, we grieve the brutal murder, a horrific

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

massacre of dozens of innocent people.

[Colin Browen]

We pray for their families who are grasping for answers with broken hearts. We stand with the people of Orlando who have endured a. A terrible attack on their city. Although it's still early in the investigation,

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

we know enough to say that this was an act of terror and an act of hate.

[Colin Browen]

And as Americans, we are united in grief, in outrage, and in resolve to defend our people. I just finished a meeting with FBI Director Comey and my Homeland Security and National Security advisors. The FBI is on the scene and leading the investigation. In partnership with local law enforcement, I've directed that the full resources of the federal government be made available for this investigation. We are still learning all the facts. This is an open investigation. We've reached no definitive judgment on the precise motivations of the killer.

[Courtney Brown]

Behind the scenes, investigators were still looking for answers. Meanwhile, the nation was grieving the loss of 49 lives. On Sunday, June 19, 2026, more than 20,000 people attended a vigil at Lake Eola in Orlando. But the support wasn't just shown in Orlando. From coast to coast, vigils and memorials popped up, offering mourners a place to come together and pay their respects. These vigils were held in New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Daytona Beach, San Francisco, Chicago, Las Vegas, and even overseas. In Paris, Berlin, Sydney, London. All over the world, people were honoring the victims lives. Flags were flown at half staff around the Washington Monument, and the spire of the one World Trade center in New York City was lit up in the colors of a rainbow. People all over the world were hugging, crying, and wrapping themselves in rainbow flags that read Stop the hate and respect. It was an extremely heartbreaking time, especially for people within the LGBTQ community. The damage inflicted on their community was hard to wrap their heads around, and it was a very sobering thought that if it could happen to the people in Pulse, it could happen anywhere. But in the wake of the tragedy, in a time where acceptance was still very much an everyday battle, those flickering candles seen all around the world, all the signs and all the flags, said one thing to the LGBTQ community. That the world sees you and we love you. And at that time, they could use all the love they could get.

[Colin Browen]

Following the shooting, Pulse was shut down for good. But the sidewalk outside its shuttered doors was soon flooded with flowers and stuffed animals, rainbow flags and candles honoring those who were killed there. In addition, thousands of people donated blood and one blood. A donation center even had to turn people away due to the overwhelming response. Lines wrapped around buildings and volunteers handed out sunscreen, water and food for the people waiting to give blood in 95 degree heat with no shade. There was a beautiful display of humanity and solidarity. And for many of the survivors in the hospital, it was life saving. Angel Santiago Jr. Who had bravely escaped the men's restroom at Pulse, remained hospitalized at Florida Orlando Hospital for several weeks after receiving two units of blood. He praised the hospital staff for saving his life and told the Chicago Tribune, I don't even know how I'm alive today. While some donated blood, others sent the families and victims much needed funds. A GoFundMe was created to benefit those left with physical and emotional scars from the shooting, and in total, over $9 million was donated. In addition, the Justice Department provided the city with $1 million in emergency funds for law enforcement response costs. Between the well wishes, donations and emotional support, many victims felt a level of acceptance by their community that they had never experienced before. Signs that red Love is love peppered the city and beyond Orlando. Strong banners hung from bridges and porches. People proudly wore Orlando United T shirts at work and on the streets. U.S. attorney General Loretta lynch arrived in Orlando immediately after the shooting and spoke with family members of the victims. She wanted to deliver one. We stand with you. She stated. The message of Orlando is a message of determination to remove hatred, to remove intolerance from our midst, in defiance of terror and in defense of our most cherished ideals. The message was simple. Love will prevail. And that love came from all over, young and old. In the wake of the shooting, three young children, the Salisbury siblings, stitched fabric hearts and hung them on the doors of those affected by the shooting. Here's one survivor recalling the impact that the children's act had on him.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

These amazing children that are sitting and standing in front of you right now is a part of an organization. Two days after the tragedy, I opened my front door and there was a heart hung on that door. This heart that they're holding in their hands right now was a symbol of these three amazing children. Step forward, guys. Jacqueline, Victoria and Gavin. These are three children that were educated by their parents, standing right here to love, regardless of their sexual orientation, race, religion or gender. I'm so excited to say that Amanda is a teacher, which I love, and these three children were taught to love. This is what we need to do in our world. It's time to teach our youth that love has no boundaries. It's time to teach our adults that love has no boundaries. It's time to teach ourselves that love has no boundaries. The hang a Heart kids have made hearts for every single person here today. And they would like to give you a heart, a token of their love.

[Colin Browen]

As grief blanketed the city and the victims, the love and kindness of complete strangers made all the difference for those struggling. And it continued to show up in the most unlikely of places.

[Courtney Brown]

20 year old Luis Omar Ocasio Capo, who went by Omar, had recently moved to Orlando from Nashville when he was killed inside Pulse, which meant his family had to travel in the aftermath, including his elderly grandmother who had to fly all by herself. You never really think about that in mass shootings. There are dozens of people from all over the world that have to get on a plane and land in a city that's unfamiliar to them. Once they get to that city, they have to do the unthinkable, identify the body of their loved one. I can't imagine how excruciating that flight would be. But for Omar's grandmother, the people on her flight showed all the support in the world. One of the flight attendants named Kelly decided to Send a message to her. She told everyone on the flight to write a message of love. And by the end of the flight, there were dozens of pages filled with messages of hope, peace, and love. Some even offered cash donations. And as each person walked off the plane, they stopped to speak with Omar's grandmother, to let her know that everyone was thinking of her and her family. Some squeezed her hand. Some prayed with her. There was even a moment of silence. The flight attendant, Kelly, said every single person stopped to offer their condolences. Some just said they were sorry. Some touched her hand. Some hugged her. Some cried with her. But every single person stopped to speak to her. And not a single person was impatient at the slower deplaning process.

[Colin Browen]

The warmth that those people showed Omar's grandmother was the warmth that he carried in everything he did. Omar was confident, outgoing, and proud of who he was. He had big dreams of becoming a dancer and an actor. One of his friends, Ambar Lugo, said he was the kind of person, either you take me how I am, or you don't take me at all. He was happy with himself. This was something that rubbed off on you. It made you a better person. He made friends easily, and everyone was drawn to his warmth, humor, and genuine spirit. His favorite drink at Starbucks was a green tea cappuccino, a small detail that friends remembered fondly. Omar was finally finding his place within Orlando's LGBTQ community, and that night, Omar had gone to Pulse with his friends, Julius Ortiz and Kalisha Callie Andino. Callie and Omar had been childhood friends since middle school, when they lived in Cleveland, Ohio, but Julius was a new friend. In fact, Julius stated that he had been kicked out by his father, and Omar welcomed him with open arms at his home on the night of the shooting. Julius had left Pulse an hour before the shooting started, leaving Omar and Callie behind. The last text Omar sent to Julius mentioned that there were gunshots at the nightclub. As news outlets reported on the shooting, Omar's family desperately tried to get in touch with him, but he didn't answer his phone. Growing increasingly worried, they posted on Facebook that he was missing, hoping that anyone who had seen or heard from him that night would come forward with information. Tragically, it wouldn't be long before they learned the truth. Omar's name was third on the list of people killed. His friend Callie was shot in the back and arm, but would go on to make a full recovery. Though it was anything but easy, she lost her friend that night, a loss that would stay with her long after the headlines faded. For OMAR's funeral, nearly 300 people showed up, including friends from Ohio, Tennessee and Puerto Rico. His open casket was surrounded by flowers, some even provided by Disney.

[Courtney Brown]

While the world struggled to comprehend the hatred and violence that led to the tragedy, 49 families were forced to bury their loved ones. Over the course of the two weeks following the shooting, each of the victims was laid to rest in private ceremonies and during them, hundreds of people showed up. Friends, neighbors, strangers determined to honor the lives and ensure their families were not mourning alone. Bishop Kelvin Caberis pastor at Impact Church attended multiple funerals of the Pulse victims speaking and praying with their loved ones. He told the Miami Herald, quote, Orlando is known to the world as a place of laughter and fun. This tragedy has left a city shaken, people without words to express themselves. Darkness covers our city because of all the lives that had been taken and individuals fighting for their lives now and having to plan all these funerals. End quote but in that darkness of the funerals, there were people determined to bring the light. A Chicago carpenter, Greg Zannis, made the drive from Illinois to Orlando in an effort to honor every victim killed in the shooting. The owner of Crosses for Losses, a nonprofit dedicated to making memorials for victims of mass shootings, he built 49 handmade white crosses, each one bearing the name of a victim killed after making them. He drove them all the way to Orlando and displayed them in front of the ORMC Trauma Center. During the funerals, other people showed their love and support using their own unique skills and interests. David Mercer and his twin brother Darren didn't know any of the victims, but they wanted to do something to help, so they organized something called Bikers for Pulse, where bikers from all over participated in a motorcycle procession that escorted the victim's family members to the funerals.

[Colin Browen]

One of the very first victims to be buried was 37 year old Kimberly K.J. morris, who was buried at Osceola Memory Gardens in Kissimmee, Florida. Just four days after the shooting, her family held a vigil in her honor in her hometown of Torrington, Connecticut, where everyone made one thing very clear about she loved to dance. As person after person went on stage holding candles, they spoke fondly of KJ Reminiscing about her dance routines where she performed as a drag king named Daddy K. Her friend Shakira Henry Fessler said, I loved to watch her perform because she loved it so much. She made you feel like you were on the stage there with her. For Minnie, the vigil was a way to reconnect with who Kim was a talented basketball player and track star, a bouncer at Pulse, a daughter who moved to Orlando to support her mother, a friend who always had a smile no matter what. On the stage, one of her former track teammates had a message that many carried close to their heart in the aftermath. Just keep dancing. Just keep smiling and dancing for Kim.

[Courtney Brown]

Throughout all of the funerals, they all carried a similar love one another. Something so simple, yet so profound. Unfortunately, despite the majority of people having nothing but love, acceptance and sorrow to offer, the families hatred still reared its ugly head simply because the shooting took place at a gay nightclub. The morning of the shooting, as many families searched for their loved ones, some churches spoke about the shooting not to offer prayers, but to say that the massacre was God's will because a majority of the victims were gay. Pastor Roger Jimenez of Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento said in a 45 minute sermon, there's no tragedy. I wish the government would round them all up, put them up against a wall, put a firing squad in front of them and blow their brains out. The only tragedy is that more of them didn't die. Pastor Steve Anderson of Tempe, Arizona stated in his Sunday morning sermon. The good news is that there's 50 less pedophiles in the world because these homosexuals are a bunch of disgusting perverts and pedophiles. End quote. And it wasn't just pastors preaching this hate, people even began to act on it. The Westboro Baptist Church threatened to protest Javier Jorge Reyes funeral. In response, over 100 people showed up with rainbow colored sheets prepared to block the protesters in their hate filled signs. Now the members of Westboro Baptist did not show up. Instead, other members of the community emboldened by Westboro did show up and they held up signs that read God hates the F Slur. But the counter protesters were prepared. They formed a human chain blocking the view of the signs and allowing Javier's family to bid him farewell in peace. The love and protection that the community offered the victims families continued because very quickly Westboro Baptists began to make good on their promise, showing up to various victims funerals across Florida. Yet each time they were met by hundreds of counter protesters who thankfully blocked their hateful messages.

[Colin Browen]

And then there were the angel wings. In 1998, 21 year old Matthew Shepard, a gay man, was offered a ride home from a bar in Laramie, Wyoming by Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson to men around his age. Rather than take him to his house, the two drove out to a remote location, tied Matthew to a fence and pistol whipped him until he was Unrecognizable. Then they drove off, leaving him to freeze. Matt sat there, the city lights twinkling far in the distance on the prairie, with no way and no energy to reach them. When he was discovered in the morning by a cyclist, his face was completely covered in blood except for a trail down his cheeks which had been cleaned by his tears. Matthew did not survive the attack, which the prosecution determined was fueled by McKinney and Henderson's hatred of gay people. Both were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. At Matthew's funeral, the Westboro Baptist Church arrived to protest with signs that read God hates the Efsler and Matthew in Hell. But luckily a local theater created costumes, white robes with large linen angel wings that counter protesters used to hide their signs. And 18 years later, counter protesters were using the same tactics to protect the 49 victims of the Pulse shooting. One counter protester said, we just intended to make sure we were showing as much support as possible. And the anti gay protesters were running into as large of an opposition as we could create. It's such a simple display that meant everything to the mourning families. An action that told them that their community was with them and that the times have changed. Hate wasn't going to be allowed to cloud the beauty of the lives that were lost. We lived in a new world, one where sadly, there were still people with anger and hatred in their hearts. But those people were the minority and they weren't going to be allowed to hurt the innocent people grieving and simply trying to survive.

[Courtney Brown]

Some families planned counter protests with their own twists in mind for the funeral of 36 year old Eric Ivan Ortiz Rivera. Counter protesters arrived as a group of motorcycle riders carrying American flags. It's something that would have made Eric smile. Eric was the type to embrace everyone as long as they liked his favorite team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. On the morning of his death, his husband of a year, Ivan Dominguez, frantically called him, his family and the hotline, desperate to find his soulmate. Here he is talking with Anderson Cooper from the heart about who his husband was and what the world lost.

[Colin Browen]

Right now we want to learn more

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

about Eric Ivan Ortiz Rivera. He was just 36 years old. Eric should be celebrating his one year wedding anniversary 11 days from now. We're very sorry that that is not going to happen, but so grateful that Eric's husband, Ivan Dominguez is with me tonight to tell us a little bit about their life together. Thank you so much. And I'm. Oh, thank you. So sorry to be here under these circumstances. Tell me about Your husband, He was a wonderful person. How'd you guys meet? We met at the nightclub back in 2007. What was it about him that drew you? It was. We met through a friend. Really good prem. His name is Leo. That introduce us. What is really funny. We got here at the same time on the same year that I got here from Panama in 2007. And he came from Puerto Rico. Exactly in 2007. So we started in a really good friendship, then we decided to, you know, date, and then we got married. You've been friends since what, 2007? Exactly. Okay, so you'd been friends for a long time before you actually started. So actually I can. I'm. We're very close. We were really close. I know him very well. What was that decision to get married? What was that like? When did you know he was the one you wanted to marry? You know, everything started with a friendship. So we decided to get together and spend a life together. And it's very curious because that was in June 26, 2015. And we went into the courthouse and we got married. And when we. We got out, we went to social media to share with everybody. And in that moment, the 50 states got legalized exactly that same day. It was really an honor for us to get married in that specific day. It was a big coincidence and we didn't know. You had no idea what was going to happen. Exactly. Wow. You wanted to thank. I mean, there's been such an outpouring of support and such an outpouring and

[Colin Browen]

from, you know, police, medical personnel.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

You wanted to thank people. I wanted to thank everybody that has been really helpful with us and that have reached us and make sure we're okay and helping with everything, what we need from the government, all these associations that are willing to help when somebody needs. And there's a specific tragedy because it was a big thing, you know, so the police department, fire department, the FBI, everybody that has been here for us. How are you so strong right now? Because I believe in a positive energy and I believe that he is helping me to go through all this. I feel it. Absolutely. Yes. I have been having long days, every day, since day one, when I was looking for him that Sunday, I left my apartment at 8am and I found him, I can say, because I look for him the whole day in the afternoon and all. You spend the whole day looking for him to find out what had happened. Exactly, yes. So I feel like he has given me, you know, the opportunity to handle this in a good way and just I have to I have to. And you want people to know about this wonderful man that he was. Yes, he was always wonderful person, willing to help everybody. Put it. Putting everybody first and then him in the second place. He was so much support for everything for me. And in all the minutes now, throughout

[Colin Browen]

these funerals, there were some families who faced challenges that were completely out of their control. You see, the body of Omar Mateen was actually buried at a Muslim cemetery about three hours from Orlando. And disturbingly, some of his victims were actually buried just 30 yards away from him. One victim's family member said that they were considering having their loved one exhumed just to get them away from the shooter. Andrea Wade later said, I don't see her resting in peace among people like that. One family said they were going to start a petition to have the gunman's body removed from the cemetery, but that never happened. And from now on, every time they go to visit their loved one at their grave, they. They know that the person who took their life is just a stone's throw away.

[Courtney Brown]

49 funerals all happened within just days of one another. All beautiful, vibrant lives snuffed out in a single night. But in the weeks after the shooting, there were a lot of conversations about what this attack meant. Keep in mind, the poll shooting took place less than a year after gay marriage was legalized in the United States. So for many people, this was a clear hate crime against the LGBTQ community, something the media openly acknowledged for decades. This community had fought for equality. Just 30 years prior, people across the country were still referring to the AIDS crisis as the gay plague, saying that it was God's will. But at the turn of the century, it felt like we were finally coming to a point where. Where we were making progress. Then the Pulse shooting happened, and it felt like we took a huge step backwards. But I think the beautiful thing about this story is that even though the hate is so ugly and so loud at times, the people who loved and supported the community far surpassed all the hatred. And in the wake of such tragedy, many found comfort in the fact that finally, their lives were being seen and valued.

[Colin Browen]

The funerals, memorials, and public discussions regarding the Pulse shooting offered the world at large a place to gather and look at the tragedy of the shooting. But for many, it wasn't a headline. Families were forced to live on after burying their loved ones and forced to reconcile with what they had been through in their final moments. In August of 2016, over two months after autopsies were completed, it was publicly reported that multiple victims had been Shot numerous times in the front and side of their bodies from a short distance. For the families, hearing the details and statistics read aloud was like learning about the shooting all over again. One person was shot 13 times and another 10 times over. One third of the victims had a gunshot wound to their head. And shockingly, it was concluded that there were over 200 gunshot wounds sustained by the 49 victims. And then there were the survivors. People who felt trapped between life and death, grappling with the fact that they had managed to live little by little. Those who were injured were released from the Orlando area hospitals. Nearly 60 people were hospitalized following the shooting, not counting the nine people who died from their injuries at the hospital. And though everyone who survived had been released, their journeys had just begun. Tony Marrero was shot four times across his lower back and through his left arm. Was originally told that he may lose his arm. He laid in his hospital bed for days in immense pain, going through surgery after surgery. His left arm miraculously was saved due to an extensive skin graft, though the long recovery after wasn't for the weak. He struggled to get out of bed every day due to the excruciating pain and only did so when he was encouraged by his nurse Marta, who would playfully tug at him, yelling, tony, Tony, get up. Until he rose to his feet. He was held in the hospital for two long weeks, and after was sent to do intensive physical therapy in an effort to regain his full range of motion. Here he is talking to MTV as he underwent a physical therapy session and had a professional redressing his wounds. People think because I got released from

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

the hospital and I'm in rehab right now that I'm okay. I'm not okay. Is that thing okay?

[Colin Browen]

Cause it's hurting.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

I'm still connected to a machine because of my back. I have a hole in my back. Just gotta cover these sticks later. That's right. Okay. My arm is still shattered. Unravel. It's healing, but I don't have movement in my two fingers.

[Colin Browen]

I don't want to look.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

I'm not okay.

[Colin Browen]

And that's only physical.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

I can't even start with mentally. I'm not nearly okay.

[Colin Browen]

I got so much stuff going on. For Tony, every single day was a struggle. But he wasn't going it alone. Ultimately, he was able to return to his old job at Universal Studios, where he started working as a performer. He told Orlando Health, to be able to perform now on a daily basis is a true testament to perseverance and resilience and never giving up. Tony has been outspoken about his experience and what it took to overcome what he experienced at pulse. However, some survivors weren't ready to speak publicly following the shooting. It was too traumatizing to relive the events that transpired on the morning of June 12, 2016. And looking at what they underwent, it's easy to understand why. 30 year old Felipe Marrero had been shot in the back four times. And although he could hardly sit up in his hospital bed, he reunited with his friend Joseph Rivera, and the two took a photo together. Some survivors were forced to stay in the hospital for months.

[Courtney Brown]

Jeff Rodriguez, who was shot in both legs, was confined to a wheelchair and kept in the hospital for two months as he underwent six different surgeries. His brother Santos later said, he's learning how to walk now, so it's kind of hard for him. He can't stand up for too long because he starts to get dizzy. He'll throw up. It's therapy three times a day. I know he had skin graft surgery three days ago. He has a big, big hole in his right leg, end quote. Ultimately, Jeff was released to a physical therapy and rehab facility where he was retaught how to walk. And there were dozens of victims just like him. People who had to learn how to walk all over again, how to use their hands, how to function with chronic pain. Over three months, victims were slowly released from the hospitals, one by one, into their brand new world. Their lives were forever marked by before pulse and after pulse. It wasn't until September 6, 2016, 86 days after the shooting, when the final survivor was released from the hospital. And with each new person released, the voices of the survivors and their families grew louder and louder. And above all, they had two important why had Omar Mateen done this? And how could they prevent it from ever happening again?

[Colin Browen]

Omar Mateen's motive has been a part of the conversation since the early morning hours of June 12th. And really, it was Omar who presented the first possible motive to the public. If you recall when he made his first 911 call, while he was barricaded inside the bathroom at pulse, Omar, he had a very pointed message for police. One that immediately made law enforcement believe that Omar was committing a terrorist attack. In his call, he stated, I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi of the Islamic State.

[Courtney Brown]

Emergency 901.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

This is Oscar Lines being recorded. What. I want to let you know I'm in Orlando and I did the shooting.

[Courtney Brown]

What's your name?

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

My name is. I pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. Of the Islamic State. Okay, what's your name? I pledge my allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, Hafidullah, on behalf of the Islamic State. Where are you at in Orlando? Where in Orlando?

[Colin Browen]

If you aren't familiar, al Baghdadi was the caliph or leader of the Islamic State, ISIS or ISIL from 2014 to 2019. In his series of 911 calls, Omar continued telling the US that they needed to stop bombing foreign countries.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

You have to tell America to stop bombing Syria in Iraq. They're killing a lot of innocent people. So what am I to do here when my people are getting killed over there? You get what I'm saying? I do. I completely get what you're saying. What I'm trying to do is prevent anybody else. The U.S. airstrikes, they need to stop the U.S. airstrikes. Okay, I understand. To stop the U.S. airstrike, you have to tell the U.S. government to stop. Stop bombing. They're killing too many children. They're killing too many women.

[Courtney Brown]

All of Omar's calls pointed to his attack being politically motivated. I mean, he said it himself. Initially, law enforcement was terrified that they were facing a coordinated terrorist attack from isis, one that would rapidly grow into something even more deadly than the shooting. So immediately following Omar Mateen's death, law enforcement descended upon his home. In a thorough search of his house, they took all of his devices. Initially, they were hunting for a connection, any communication with members of ISIS or a coordinated terrorist group. They searched through emails, texts, apps, phone calls, any and all communication that Omar had with anyone. And they found, well, nothing. No texts with others regarding radical beliefs. No documents, calls, or images linking him to isis. Omar hadn't been talking with anyone about initiating an attack on American soil. For the most part, his texts with loved ones were normal. Average.

[Colin Browen]

For investigators, it wasn't Omar's communication that painted him as a terrorist. It was his search history. Frequently, from 2014 up to the day of the massacre, Omar searched for more and more radical content online. He watched beheading videos, ISIS attacks, and eventually jihadist messaging Nearly every day in 2016, sometimes multiple times a day, he watched videos titled New Message from the Islamic State. These videos pushed ISIS beliefs and violent rhetoric in digestible, inspiring bits and calls to action. This obsessive interest that grew over time as well as his lack of communication with any outside sources led the FBI to believe that Omar wasn't and never had been actually associated with isis. He had been self radicalized, which really is just a way to say that he consumed content that was designed to push his ideology into radical, violent territory. Following the FBI's search of his devices, President Barack Obama presented the FBI's findings at a news conference. The one thing that we can say is that this is being treated as a terrorist investigation. It appears that the shooter was inspired by various extremist information that was disseminated over the Internet. All those materials are currently being searched, exploited. So we will have a better sense of the pathway that the killer took in making a decision to launch this attack. As Director Comey, I think will indicate, at this stage, we see no clear evidence that he was directed externally. It does appear that at the last minute he announced allegiance to isil, but

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

there is no evidence so far that

[Colin Browen]

he was in fact directed by isil. And there also, at this stage, is no direct evidence that he was part

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

of a larger plot.

[Colin Browen]

In that sense, it appears to be similar to what we saw in San Bernardino, but we don't yet know.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

And this is part of what is

[Colin Browen]

going to be important in terms of the investigation. There were other things Omar did that indicated that he had been self radicalized and was acting entirely alone. During one of his 911 calls, as he held victims hostage at Pulse, Omar stated, my homeboy Tamerlan Tsarnaev did his thing on the Boston Marathon. Okay, so now it's my turn. OK? Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his brother Dzokar killed three people and injured more than 500 when they planted two pressure cooker bombs near the end of the finish line of the Boston Marathon. We actually covered that case in episodes 101 and 102 of this podcast. But initially, much like Omar, rumors spread that the Boston Marathon attack was committed by isis. Many claimed that the brothers had traveled to Russia, where they were trained and radicalized. But as the FBI looked more closely, they found a search history not much different than Omar's and eventually determined that the brothers were lone wolf terrorists that had been radicalized online. Dr. Laylana Ferrer of the U.S. department of Homeland Security has outlined the four phases of self radicalization in her study. What are the four stages of radicalization? Why extremists act. She writes, stage one is the individual's first exposure to radical ideology, often from terrorist group members, the Internet, friends and even family members can be involved. At this stage, the person feels disenfranchised and disconnected from conventional America, especially the US Government. Stage two is when an individual begins to accept the idea of radical ideology. After hearing it over and over for months, they start to see how the extremist ideology links to their own beliefs and current situation. The individual will identify as a victim and feel that violent action is a heroic response to the injustice. It is important to note that suicidal ideation is can be a high risk factor for extremists at this stage on the path to violence. The third stage is when someone expressing extreme views moves away from the First Amendment's protection of free speech and has the intent to commit a crime. This stage is known as the acceptance of violence stage. That person has moved beyond simply reading radical extremist material to advocating for violence and expressing violent extremist beliefs. Stage four is the final stage of radicalization and when self actualization happens, the person has moved beyond research and planning and starts to prepare for an actual

[Courtney Brown]

incident to law enforcement. Those four steps were visible in both the Boston Marathon bombers and in Omar Mateen. They felt an emptiness and hatred that they filled by making themselves believe they were justified and a part of something. CIA veteran Paul Pillar stated, groups such as ISIS are less prime movers of terrorism and more of a name and a cause to which radicals attach themselves to believe that they are acting on behalf of something larger than themselves and their own demons and grievances, end quote. Omar Mateen had plenty of demons and plenty of grievances, and after a thorough search, investigative agencies were certain that Omar hadn't had any actual contact with isis. But soon after that announcement was made, ISIS actually claimed responsibility for the Pulse attack, stating, quote, the attack that targeted a nightclub for homosexuals in Orlando, Florida, and that left more than a hundred dead and wounded was carried out by an Islamic State fighter.

[Colin Browen]

When the attack was officially labeled terrorism, many LGBTQ advocates argued that it should also be considered a hate crime. City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said the shooter undoubtedly targeted the LGBTQ community, pointing out that he chose a gay nightclub and had reportedly looked into other similar venues. In her view, calling it only terrorism ignored the role of anti LGBTQ hatred. Others took a more mixed view. Ron Hooper of the FBI said the attack could be seen as both terrorism and a hate crime. But not everyone agreed. Jerry Demings, chief of Orlando police, pushed back on that interpretation, believing that it was simply an act of terrorism. As professionals disagreed, the media spoke with those close to Omar Mateen, and to say the media had a field day with this would be an understatement, because immediately a prevailing theory became that Omar was actually a closeted homosexual. Within days of the massacre, people began to claim that Omar was a regular at Pulse, Ty Smith told the Orlando Sentinel. Sometimes he would go over in the corner and sit and drink by himself. And other times, he would get so drunk he was loud and belligerent. Ty claimed that Omar had been inside the nightclub at least a dozen times, although he stated that Omar mostly kept to himself. When he did speak, he often talked about his father and told people that he had a wife and child. According to Tai, Omar allegedly mentioned that he wasn't allowed to drink at home because of his family. One regular even claimed that Omar once pulled out a knife at the nightclub after someone made a joke about his Muslim faith. However, these claims have never been verified, and the fact that Pulse was a four hour round trip from Omar's home made him visiting unlikely. Now, investigators did track his cell phone, and it had never been in the vicinity of Pulse. Except for the night of the attack. There were several gay bars much closer to where Omar lived. But when rumors began to spread that Omar was gay, his father, Siddiq, protested the idea, claiming that his son was essentially homophobic.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Did he ever talk about homosexuality? Except one time that we were in Miami, we saw the behavior of two. One couple, and he got a little bit ticked off. What did he say? Nothing. Just look at this. And what did you see? Well, there were two guys were kissing each other in front of the family and kids.

[Colin Browen]

Omar's father would go on to say that he has no idea why his son committed the shooting. He said, I don't know what caused it. I never figured out that he had a grudge in his heart. I am grief stricken. We are apologizing for the whole incident. We are in shock like the whole country. But once this information came out about Omar possibly being gay, people began asking questions. Was Omar struggling with internalized homophobia? Did he hate himself or did he hate gay people because he saw some of them in him? Another Pulse regular, Kevin west, claimed that he and Omar frequently exchanged messages over the gay dating app Adam4Adam. Kevin said it wasn't about hookups. He would say, let's meet up for a drink. I come to Orlando a lot. From there, scores of people reached out to the media claiming they had either seen Omar on LGBTQ dating apps or that they had actually gone on a date with him. One man who identified himself as Miguel came forward and claimed he had a two month relationship with Omar. According to him, the two met on Grindr. During an interview with Univision, Miguel altered his appearance with a mask and disguised his voice. He claimed that recently, Omar had had a threesome with a Puerto Rican man who told him after the encounter that he was HIV positive. He stated that Omar's attack wasn't one of terrorism, but one of revenge, targeting Puerto Rican and Hispanic men because of the rage he had at the possibility he had been exposed to HIV and may have exposed his wife to it. Federal agents had three meetings in total with Miguel and ultimately concluded that there was no credible evidence that Miguel and Omar ever had a sexual relationship of any kind. The public, however, was already running with the story, perhaps because we all want a motive to be clear. But in this case, it didn't appear to be that simple.

[Courtney Brown]

After extensive searches of the shooter's computer, cell phones, and other electronic media, it was determined that he did not target Pulse because it was a venue for members of the LGBTQ community. If you recall, prior to the attack on Pulse, Omar went to two other locations. First, Disney Springs and Eve nightclub. And in the days prior to the attack, he actually looked up live cams of populated areas like Disney and Universal. Witnesses confirmed that during the attack, the shooter made no homophobic remarks. And in fact, when he entered the club the first time, acting as a customer, he reportedly asked the security guard on duty, where are all the girls? Almost as if he was completely unaware that Pulse was a gay nightclub. So, according to investigators, it was not a hate crime. They suggested that the attack on Pulse was a convenient target because of limited security and the large number of people who gathered there that night. Now, I do want to point out that even if he didn't specifically target Pulse because it was a gay nightclub, I completely understand why people think it's a hate crime. Whether intentional or not. The LGBTQ community lost dozens of their people that night, and for the survivors, they are still fighting, even 10 years later. Now, to this day, there is still debate over how to classify the Pulse nightclub shooting, whether it was an act of terrorism, a hate crime, or both. For many, the hatred that the attack incited towards the LGBTQ community in the months and weeks following it made it so that the original intent didn't matter. Many victims faced comments online claiming that the attack was God's will to rid the world of homosexuals and teach them a lesson for their sins. And for a community that was already grieving so much, it was an incredibly difficult time for them. Unfortunately, much of the early discussions about Omar's motives hurt the very community that people should have been trying to protect.

[Colin Browen]

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Optional products and services may have fees or charges, stated annual percentage yield and cash back for Chime prime only. No minimum balance required. Checking account ranking Based on a J.D. power survey published October 20, 2025For more information on APY rates, my pay spot me and travel perks, go to Chime.com disclosures. Anyways y', all, let's get back to the show. As the discussion about Omar Mateen and his motive began to wane and victims began to heal, something else marred with controversy came into focus. People at the scene, families of loved ones, and even law enforcement from other parts of the country criticized law enforcement for their response to the Orlando shooting. Survivor Tiara Parker put it pretty simply when she publicly stated they took too damn long. And she isn't wrong. Tiara was one of the victims who was trapped inside the bathroom with the shooter for hours as her loved one died in her arms. Agencies, however, defended themselves, saying that the delay in response came because they weren't in an active shooter situation, but a hostage situation. Orlando Police Chief John Mina claimed that they had reason to believe that sending officers into the bathroom would have led to more civilians being killed. Former SWAT team member in McKinney, Texas, Chris Grolnick, said the guy already demonstrated that he had a propensity for violence and that he was going to kill people because he already started. They had text messages that people were bleeding out. He added that police training had changed since the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, saying the number one priority is stopping the shooter. It doesn't matter if you end up shooting someone on accident. It doesn't matter as a police officer if you get shot. It doesn't matter if your partner goes down. You do not stop until you stop the shooter, Period. Full stop. And that did not happen at the Pulse nightclub.

[Courtney Brown]

And to say that didn't happen is an understatement. Omar Mateen barricaded himself in the north restroom at 2:10am Just eight minutes after the shooting began. Despite this, victims were left in not just the north restroom but also the south restroom, bleeding out and dying until at least 5:17am when the wall was finally breached for dozens of people. They spent hours alone in the room with the gunmen and the entire time, calls like the one you're about to hear were flooding in.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

We are in the bathroom and pulse. There's two people in here that are about to die. There's four already dead. Someone needs to come in here now. Listen, I understand. I understand, and I know you're scared. We have help coming to you. Okay, I understand. They have to secure the scene. Okay. Can I send someone in here? These two people are going to bleed out. Ford is going to turn into SP if someone doesn't come in here. Okay. And you're in the restroom? Yes. Which restroom? We call with our hands up. No, we're not telling you to do that yet. No, no. Someone needs to get sent in here then. Someone, Just one person. Someone. A paramedic. Someone needs to go in here. Many people are in there. There's about 15 of us. 15? And how many are deceased? One, two, three, four that I can see. Okay. And then one and two are about to leave out. Talk to me.

[Courtney Brown]

Demetrius Knowlings, a survivor of the shooting and friend of one of the victims, gave his opinion regarding the police response in the documentary 49 Pulses.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

I'm mad that my best friend had to lay there and die. Why didn't they move in? I mean, that's their job title, is to take a bullet, right? To give that serve and protect. I mean, you guys have armor. You have all the all the right tools and success. But that's the me being mad side, but me being human. If I was put in that situation, would I want to go in or would I want to wait and try to think about what we're going to do? Because we've never been in a situation like this before and we don't understand what to do. I get that you probably wasn't prepared, but if your plan was to come busting through them walls the way y' all did, you put us at risk regardless. Because this man was saying he had bombs and then to find out that they were in the building the whole time, y' all should have just came in the bathroom.

[Colin Browen]

Reportedly, 16 people who ultimately died inside of Pulse had survivable wounds, although it was never publicly reported that anyone bled out from their wounds. It was obvious that if law enforcement had intervened faster, lives could have been saved. But there was nothing prompt about their response. Orlando pd, however, argued that they had acted in accordance with their protocol because they believed the shooter had a bomb. They couldn't rush in recklessly and cause more casualties. Their main priority was to contain the situation, protect as many people as they could, and follow procedures to protect themselves, hostages and bystanders. Now, as we mentioned, the shooter had been trained in security and so he likely knew if he stated he had a bomb and hostages, it would delay the situation. However, Christopher Drew Linonen's mother, Christine, felt very differently and she had experience to back up her opinion. Here she is speaking in the documentary 49 Pulses. Are you angry that it took the Orlando police SWAT over three hours to

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

take down the killer? Of course I'm angry, because I was a police officer myself for over 10 years, 10 and a half years. This is an active shooter. He's killing people. You have to put yourself as a police officer. If you don't want that job, get another job. But as a police officer, you have to put yourself between the victim and the shooter so that you can protect society. You're a protector, you're not a coward. You protect people. Why are the police acting like they're heroes and they've done such a good job when there's so much glaring incompetence. It's almost like they're doing the opposite by saying how great they were. They're getting the heat off them for what really happened. The medical examiner will verify that some died from non fatal wounds, from bleeding to death.

[Courtney Brown]

The FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conducted a full investigation into Orlando PD's response. They reviewed 911 calls, police radio traffic, ballistic reports, video footage and witness statements. And through everything, they determined that the officers did nothing wrong. Ultimately, they said they followed protocol. And while we aren't FBI agents, looking at the footage made us feel very different. It actually reminded us a lot of the Uvalde shooting. Body cam footage of the nearly four hour ordeal often shows officers standing outside of Pulse, texting, looking at their phones and at times chatting about sports, the weather or anything in between. All the while just feet away. People were trapped with a madman and slowly, painfully dying.

[Colin Browen]

On December 18, 2017, more than one year after the shooting, the Department of Justice released its findings in a 200 page review. The incident review of the Orlando public safety response to the attack on the Pulse nightclub indicated that the Orlando Police Department as well as other law enforcement agencies responded in a consistent manner. It stated the tactical response by the OPD was consistent with the Department's policies, procedures and training as well as recognized practices. The OPD successfully leveraged existing relationships with federal, state and local public safety agencies in their response to the Pulse nightclub terrorist attack. OPD leadership prioritized the mental health of all OPD personnel following the response to the Pulse attack. Pre existing Orlando police community relationships fostered and sustained over time enhanced the resilience of the community in the aftermath of the Pulse terrorist shooting. In addition, the final result of rescuing hostages was seemed justified. The initial tactical response was consistent with the OPD's Active Shooter Training and recognized promising practices. However, as the incident became more complex and prolonged, transitioning from a barricaded suspect with hostages to an act of terrorism, the OPD's operational tactics and strategies were challenged by the increasing threat posed by the suspect's claim of improvised explosive devices inside the club and in vehicles surrounding the club. Through review of 911 transcripts, a total of 603 during the duration of the shooting. Ballistics reports, evidence, crime scene documentation, FBI reports and classified information. They also stated that no victims were hit by friendly fire. All shots to the deceased and injured came from the shooter's weapons.

[Courtney Brown]

But this is where things get a little controversial. In the reports published by the U.S. department of justice, the Florida Department of Law enforcement and the FBI, it states that at 2:17 a SWAT commander fired shots at the suspect, Omar Mateen. In the DOJ report in particular, it reads quote, the SWAT commander and sergeant in the West Bar area fired shots at the suspect. The SWAT commander was heard yelling let me see your hands now. Just prior to firing his weapon. End quote. Here is the actual body cam of that moment,

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Shots fired, shots fired.

[Courtney Brown]

But according to the victims on scene, it wasn't Omar Mateen that police unleashed rounds at. It was survivor Norman Cassiano Mojica. After being shot several times in the south bathroom, Norman dragged his body through the bathroom stall and out into the hallway to get medical attention. But when he opened the door, he was met with police officers pointing a weapon at him. Now, given the situation, that's pretty understandable. At this point, officers had no idea who their suspect was. But what happened next is a little less understandable. Norman was ordered to raise his arms. However, due to his injuries, he couldn't. Bleeding on the ground, he yelled out to the officers that he couldn't lift his arms. But before he had the chance to finish what he was saying, they fired.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Let me see your hands. Now.

[Courtney Brown]

Fortunately, Norman was not hit. Eventually, he was able to comply with the officer's commands and crawled forward where they searched him for weapons before sending him off for medical care. Now, when this information came out, there were a lot of people who had a lot of things to say about the officer shooting at a victim at all. But for us, the real problem of the situation comes not with what was done, but what officer swore under oath. To both of the officers who fired, Lieutenant Smith and Sergeant Backus swore under oath that that they had fired at the gunman, yet the person they fired at was proven to be a victim. And making a mistake on the field is one thing, but lying about an entire incident under oath is another. In 2019, the state's attorney's office conducted an investigation which ultimately confirmed Norman's account. It was he that the police shot at, not the suspect.

[Colin Browen]

Now, we want to make it clear the things that the first responders saw inside of Pulse and the situation they found themselves in were absolutely horrific. And we have all the respect in the world for what they had to do that day. For hours on end, some officers loaded victims into vehicles, held their hands as they cried, and shepherded them to safety. Several officers struggle with PTSD to this day from the sheer carnage that took place at Pulse. Orlando police officer Jerry Reeland spoke candidly about his experience with PTSD and what he went through that day. He was called early on June 12 to prepare bodies to be taken to the morgue. Usually, people on the scene work short shifts, but despite the lack of ac, the severity of the scene, and the exhaustion that Jerry felt, he didn't want someone to relieve him. In his words, we had already been there. We were already ruined. No one else should have to see that. So for 16 hours, he worked tirelessly. When he finally got home at 2:30am the following morning, he peeled off his bloody clothes and immediately threw them away. Then he got in the shower. Outside the door, his wife listened as he wailed over and over, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. In time, it became clear that he was speaking to the victims. Speaking on the trauma that Pulse left him with, he stated, I've never been the same since. I can't go back. As a result, he began to have recurring nightmares and flashbacks of the smell inside the club. Eventually, he was diagnosed with PTSD and was referred to a psychiatrist. In July 2017, he was medically approved for the disability pension due to his inability to return to his former police duties. There were heroes in Pulse that night. Officers who saved lives, who comforted the victims, who went above and beyond. And sadly, those are the officers who suffered the most.

[Courtney Brown]

Horrifically, six months after the shooting, two first responders died by suicide. When Eatonville Police officer Omar Delgado's shift ended on the morning of June 12, 2016, he pulled into his driveway and sat in silence. It was difficult to process everything he witnessed. After 15 minutes of sitting in his car, he went inside, stripped off his bloody uniform and took a shower. He desperately tried to block out what he had just seen, but his life would never be the same. Outside the Orlando Fire Department Station 5, there was a pool of coagulated blood that EMT Brian Stillwell had to clean with bleach and water. The blood came from a victim who was shot in the stomach. As he scrubbed it on the concrete, the only thing he could think of over and over was whether the person who left it had lived or died. He never found out. What these officers and many more witnessed inside Pulse was horrific scenes of devastation that no one should ever have to see or endure. When many of them finally returned home, it was hard to shut off the memories. Some broke down in tears, holding their family members close. Although most of them had responded to gruesome scenes, murders, car accidents and suicides, Pulse was different. Tragically, it would be the beginning of a new life for them, one filled with nightmares, flashbacks, anger and panic attacks. At least five, but possibly many more, would be officially diagnosed with ptsd. Officer Delgado stated that he had a reoccurring nightmare of seeing bodies piled up on the dance floor. In his dream, he started to grab survivors from the club, only to be interrupted by the sound of gunshots. The smell of blood, gunpowder, death and

[Colin Browen]

liquor would never leave another first responder Josh Granada has been transparent about his experience with ptsd. He talked about seeing a vision of blood running down his driveway and into a storm drain. He said, and I knew it wasn't there, but I saw it plain as day. And that's what it was. That night, the night we were there, that's exactly what it looked like. There were so many people dying and bleeding behind Einstein that it was literally a pool that was coming down the driveway and running into the gutters. And I just remember that image and it still sticks with me. I can still see it. Mary Wilson told my news. As a first responder, you want to protect your family and you protect the people. So it's not something you can go home and talk about. For first responders, we keep it inside and it's not in us to talk about what we're going through. Also, it seems like a sign of weakness. Mary struggled with suicidal thoughts and was fired from her position in 2018. But she eventually got the help she needed and moved to Colorado to pursue a career as a mental health counselor. Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding PTSD still remains. One lead in the Orlando Police Department, who was unnamed, reportedly stated in a meeting following the shooting, these pansies need to toughen up. Following something as horrific as Pulse, that's the last thing any of the first responders who were there need to do.

[Courtney Brown]

There's someone else who was deeply affected by this tragedy that we haven't touched on yet. Not a victim that was there or a first responder or a family member of someone who died, but a victim of Omar in a very different way. If you recall, on the night of the shooting, Omar texted his wife Noor just after 4am sending his last text saying, I love you. But by the time the text came in, Noor was asleep. Shortly after, however, she was jolted awake by her phone ringing. When she answered, she was met with the command of an officer with the Fort Pierce Police Department. And it was simple.

[Colin Browen]

Come outside now.

[Courtney Brown]

Confused and disoriented, nor walked outside of her home, still wearing her pajamas. There, in the shadows of her yard, officers watched her, crouched behind trees with her in the sights of their rifles. At the time, they believed that the apartment may have been rigged to explode. Based on the threats Omar had made, they ordered Noor to come forward. They grabbed her and brought her in for questioning regarding the shooting, while others cleared the house for bombs. Now, what happened next is a little mind boggling, so stay with us here. But Noor was transported to a nearby FBI headquarters office where she was questioned regarding her knowledge of the shooting for 18 hours. Now, if it was available, we would play some clips from that interrogation. It was neither video nor audio recorded. Now, why the FBI didn't record an interrogation with a suspected terrorist, we can't tell you. But the fact that Noor was interrogated for that length of time without any true record of what she said became a huge point of contention, not just in the media, but at Noor's eventual trial. In the 18 hour interrogation, Noor allegedly broke down after repeated questioning. And there she claimed that she had known Omar was going to commit the mass shooting and that the two had even scoped out possible locations, including Pulse. After Noor confessed to having knowledge of the shooting and her husband's plans, she was released. But not for long.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Well, today federal agents arrested the widow of the Orlando nightclub gunman Omar Mateen. She's not accused of having a direct role in the deaths of 49 people last June, but she does face charges connected to the massacre. Mark Strassman has the latest.

[Colin Browen]

FBI agents arrested 30 year old Noor Salman at this home in Rodale, California, near San Francisco.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

She had been living here with her

[Colin Browen]

four year old son, her her mother and her younger sister, neighbor Glauber Franchi.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

They're a very private family. All their blinds are closed all the time, windows shut. So even from the backyard you can't see nothing.

[Colin Browen]

Police say Omar Mateen terrorized the Pulse nightclub right after last call by shooting and killing indiscriminately. FBI investigators interviewed Salmon for hours after the attack. Sources tell CBS News Salmon is expected to be charged with with aiding and abetting and obstruction of justice in the weeks leading up to the shooting. Sources say she accompanied Mateen when he

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

bought ammunition used in the attack and

[Colin Browen]

was with him during surveillance trips to Pulse and to Disney World, which investigators believe Mateen may also have considered as a target. About two hours into the massacre, law enforcement sources tell us Mateen texted his wife.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Where are you? She asked.

[Colin Browen]

Do you see what's happening? He replied no, she said.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Finally, he wrote, I love you, babe.

[Colin Browen]

In an interview with the New York Times in November. Salmon insists Mateen abused her and that she was unaware of everything about his nightclub assault. Her attorney, Linda Moreno, said in a statement. Noor Salmon had no foreknowledge, nor could

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

she predict what Omar Mateen intended to

[Colin Browen]

do that tragic night. We believe it is misguided and wrong to prosecute her.

[Courtney Brown]

Noor's trial took place in 2018 following the Pulse nightclub shooting. Prosecutors argued that based on her alleged confession, she knew about her husband's plans and that she helped him scout possible targets before the attack. The defense, however, pushed back, arguing that Noor had been coerced into a confession and that the lack of recorded proof of her interview made it inadmissible. Now, on top of that, the statement she made claiming to have gone to scope outpulse prior to the shooting were refuted by GPS data on the couple's phones, as well as the fact that the day of the shooting, Omar searched for several locations before landing on Pulse. But the prosecutors had more arguments to make. They repeatedly pointed to the fact that Noor had gone to buy ammo with Omar and that he had taken her on a shopping spree before his death. Noor's team countered this, stating that at the time, Omar had told Noor that he had gotten accepted into the police academy. He stated that he needed ammo to practice shooting for work, and the gifts that he bought her and her son were to celebrate their new phase of life. The defense also stated, primarily, Noor was only sitting on the stand because people were angry and they needed someone to blame. The shooter was dead and they needed a new target. And whether Noor had any knowledge or not, she became that target. During her trial, protesters held signs that read, quote, fry her till she has no pulse. It appeared everyone had already made up their minds when it came to Noor's knowledge of the attack. However, public opinion in the court of law are two very different things. Ultimately, Noor was found not guilty of aiding and abetting and not guilty of obstruction of justice.

[Colin Browen]

Tonight, Noor Salman leaving the courthouse without a word.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

It's a great day for Ms. Salman. Her attorneys reacting to the not guilty verdicts.

[Colin Browen]

I think she was overwhelmed.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

I think we were all overwhelmed. But outside the Pulse nightclub where Salman's husband, Omar Mateen, launched his massacre, killing 49 people, outrage from victims families. She knew that her husband was doing what he was doing and shame on her. I am in disbelief. I feel like we've been slapped in the face.

[Colin Browen]

As of the publishing of this episode, Noor lives in California with her family and her son, who's in his teens now. She has legally changed her son's name and has tried to distance herself from the shooting as much as possible.

[Courtney Brown]

But for many, for finding that distance is impossible. With every anniversary comes a new wave of pain and at the same time, a new opportunity to bond with one another. On the year anniversary of the massacre, Orlando United day honored the 49 victims and survivors. The Message focused on love rather than hate. There were numerous events, including a 5K race, late night vigils, and a concert featuring Orlando Gay Chorus, and a remembrance ceremony outside the nightclub that was decorated with messages of hope and love.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Good afternoon. That night, we lost 49 angels, 49 individuals of our LGBTQ community, of our Hispanic community, of our African American community, of our Orlando community. And when we saw so many of our law enforcement come in to save the day for so many other victims who could have lost their lives, when we saw our EMTs and firefighters help stabilize so many folks who were on the brink, and when we saw our medical professionals come in to help so many so that they could be alive and well the next day, the outpouring of love was throughout our community. Whether it be those of us who went to the blood bank, those of us who contributed food or money online to help out so many of our families. But we still have so much to do. There are still so many families mourning their losses. There are still so many victims who are rehabilitating and are recovering. There are still so many policy issues that we have to address to make our communities safer. And so we will always remember, we will always be one. Orlando and I wish you all love and happiness and kindness on this day where we remember the victims. Thank you all. Be blessed.

[Courtney Brown]

Keep God in your heart.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Keep loving your heart.

[Courtney Brown]

Love on one another. Hold on to one another.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

We are all. We have never lose sight of the love that you have for each other. Remember this event, this horrible, tragic event brought us all together. And I want you all to remember

[Courtney Brown]

that the person next to you, in

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

front of you, behind you, to your left, they're all your brothers.

[Courtney Brown]

Remember that always. Love wins.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Love you all.

[Courtney Brown]

For years, on the anniversary of the shooting, people gathered outside the shutter doors of Pulse to pay their respects. Others, however, did their best to avoid the building as much as they could. Understandably, the site was too much for some to bear. In the years since the shooting, there's been a kind of back and forth as to what they wanted to do with the building. In August of 2016, Pulse's owners, Barbara Poma and Ron Legler, announced that they were going to convert the nightclub into a public memorial. The club had always meant something special to them. In 2004, they purchased the building to create a safe haven for members of the LGBTQ community. Barbara named it Pulse in honor of her brother John, who passed away from aids. She stated, quote, the club is named for John's Pulse to live on. And over the years, it had become just that for hundreds, if not thousands of people. A place where those could be themselves and feel loved. So the owners felt like making it a memorial would be the best way to honor that.

[Colin Browen]

The owner of the Pulse nightclub says that the site will become a permanent memorial and a museum to honor the

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

49 people who were killed during the

[Colin Browen]

worst mass shooting in modern US History. The idea is to comfort loved ones now and to educate future generations about the importance of of tolerance.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

This community driven effort is intended to ultimately support the construction and maintenance of a permanent memorial. Community grants to care for the survivors and victims families endowed scholarships for each of the 49 angels, and eventually a museum showcasing historic artifacts and stories from the event.

[Colin Browen]

The owner offered few concrete details, including a timeline for building the memorial, but she did say the design and content will be decided in large part by

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

survivors and family members.

[Courtney Brown]

In September of 2016, the chain link fence that surrounded the club was removed. In its place, they put up a permanent barrier where artists, visitors and mourners decorated it with art and messages of love. Over the years, although Orlando was already a tourist city with Disney World and Universal, an influx of visitors also started visiting Pulse during their vacations. But a couple months later, In November of 2016, the City of Orlando agreed to purchase the property for $2.25 million to create something to honor the memory of the victims that are deceased and those that were injured and a testament to the resilience of our community.

[Colin Browen]

Then, in December 2016, Barbara Palma changed her mind and refused to sell the nightclub to the city. The club simply meant too much to her. Instead, she announced in May 2017 that the One Pulse Foundation, a non profit organization that she founded, would fund a permanent memorial and museum. The project was estimated to cost around $100 million. Barbara compared the location to sacred ground and the Pulse Memorial and Museum was slated to open in 2022. And funding for the foundation even received support from various celebrities including Lady Gaga, Ellen DeGeneres and Andy Cohen. However, in late 2023, the original plans for the Pulse Memorial and Museum were permanently suspended, halting the project. And for a while, everything kind of sat in limbo. There was a lot of debate at the time over whether the memorial should be there at all. Christopher Linonen's mother, Christine, did not agree with the plans for the memorial. She wanted the memorial to be somewhere else, far from where her son and his boyfriend were violently murdered. Brandon Wolf said, for survivors, the last time they were in that space was the worst night possible. It will be really hard to be in that space again. Others, though, felt like it needed to be there where that horrible night had gone down in order to truly move on from it. Now, ultimately, the city of Orlando purchased the Pulse site. Their plans were to tear down the building and build a permanent memorial in its place. But before the demolition started, the city of Orlando wanted to give those personally affected by the shooting an opportunity to visit the building one last time. In June of 2025, they organized a private event where they escorted families and survivors throughout the building.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

We start now at 11 tonight with a true first for survivors of Pulse and those who lost loved ones. We've heard them, we've listened to them, and they've said very clearly we want to, we want to see it for one last time before it's gone. And tonight, those wishes are being honored by the city of Orlando. Good evening. I'm Ginger Gadsden. Thank you for joining us. Matt has the night off tonight. Central Florida remembers the 49 lives lost in the Pulse nightclub shooting nine years ago. A solemn night of reflection, especially for a group of survivors and parents who lost loved ones on that tragic night, June 12, 2016. They were the first of several groups allowed inside the club returning to the very place where their lives changed forever. Orlando community correspondent Troy Campbell is at Pulse with one mom's powerful reaction.

[Colin Browen]

We watched several buses stop here at

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Pulse nightclub filled with victims, families and survivors so they could take a tour.

[Colin Browen]

We spoke with one mother after she

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

had a walkthrough of the building. Over 20 people died on that dance floor, the dance floor that I just walked around. And it's heartbreaking as a mother.

[Colin Browen]

Christine Leininen, MOTHER of Christopher Drew Leinonen, spoke about her walkthrough of the Pulse nightclub on Wednesday.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

I was trying to picture, well, where was Christopher and why did Christopher end up dying right there on the dance floor and couldn't make it out? And where was he? What was he seeing? Why was he not able to see, like an exit door?

[Colin Browen]

Buses filled with victims, families and survivors leaving a nearby downtown Orlando hotel on Wednesday headed to the Pulse nightclub. The city says there were 34 people who stepped foot inside Pulse on Wednesday.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

I needed to see the space. I needed to see how big it was. I definitely, I wanted to see it. It's not closure. It's, it's realistic.

[Colin Browen]

Wednesday's group were just the first of many expected during the next few days. The city of Orlando says 25 of 49 families have requested a walkthrough of the nightclub before the building is demolished.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

It's something that I've never been here, never been through there. They are planning on demolishing it. I'm never going to be given the opportunity again. I would have regretted it if I didn't go through it. And I needed to see where my son took his last breath.

[Colin Browen]

The city hopes to have construction of the permanent memorial completed by summer of 2027. Leinonen says she's thankful she walked through the building.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

As painful as it is, it's nowhere near as painful as the what my son experienced that night. I just. How would I. How could walking through even compare to what he went through?

[Colin Browen]

And more tours of the building for

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

victims, families and survivors are expected to take place again on Thursday through Saturday.

[Courtney Brown]

Some journalists and members of the media were also allowed to tour the club. They described the inside of Pulse as still feeling like a nightclub. The disco balls glistened overhead. The front desk remained. Televisions were mounted and speakers surrounded the dance floor. But missing were the various pieces of furniture and the dance floor where 20 bodies were located. As everyone walked through it that day, you could feel that something horrible had happened here, which is exactly why not everyone wanted to do it. Not everyone wanted to remember. But survivor George Hernandez planned to walk through the nightclub for closure, but at the last minute decided against it. For him, the pain truly never goes away. Every single day of his life serves as a reminder of that night, not only from the physical scars, but also from the bullet that remains lodged in his body. Here he is speaking with the media on why he decided not to enter the nightclub.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

I want to stay out and then I want to finish, close this chapter of my life because I want to keep going with my life. I don't want to be 20 years, repeat this for 20 years. I'm tired already. I want be good with my life and keep going and keep going strong because it's not easy. I think like every day, it feels like yesterday.

[Colin Browen]

While the status of the club hovered in limbo on and off, and victims and their families held mixed feelings on it, the city decided to make a simple change. On October 10, 2017, a rainbow colored crossing was painted outside of Pulse nightclub to honor the 49 victims. For years, the crosswalk stood as a vivid, permanent reminder of the lives lost and the resilience of the local LGBTQ community. However disgustingly, on August 21, 2025, this memorial crosswalk was painted over by the Florida Department of Transportation silently in the middle of the night. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said this was a cruel political act. Others were outraged and expressed their opinions over social media. And in a very weak response, the Florida Department of Transportation issued a statement saying as the state Highway Department is the duty of the Florida Department of Transportation to ensure the safety and consistency of public roadways and transportation systems, that means ensuring our roadways are not used for social, political or ideological interests. Yes, that is the real quote from the Florida Department of Transportation. After destroying the memorial crosswalk right now

[Courtney Brown]

there's a crowd of people growing near the Pulse nightclub site in Orlando upset

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

about this, the rainbow crosswalk being painted over. But the governor is doubling down on the state's decision to remove it. Let's get out to Fox 35's Hannah McKenzie. She is joining us live outside the Pulse memorial tonight. So, Hannah, at one point people actually colored that sidewalk back in. Yeah, Luann, some fast working folks brought out the chalk and worked to restore that rainbow.

[Courtney Brown]

We did have a downpour here in Orlando, though, and as you can see, that chalk has since washed away. But now a large group of folks have gathered here on the side of Orange Avenue and they have signs, they

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

have banners, they have flags.

[Courtney Brown]

They are hoping their presence here is going to leave a much long lasting impact, more than any chalk could do. Its vibrant hues restored

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

at least temporarily

[Courtney Brown]

with chalk after Orlando's iconic rainbow crosswalk outside the Pulse nightclub site was painted over in the dead of night.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Sorry, I'm a little emotional.

[Courtney Brown]

Yasmin Flasterstein hoping her 49 flowers can brighten the day for those upset set over the crosswalk.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

While they're feeling hurt, maybe they could feel some support too.

[Courtney Brown]

Calling the move callous. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer writing, quote, hastily

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

removing part of a memorial to what

[Courtney Brown]

was at the time our nation's largest mass shooting without any supporting safety data

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

or discussion is a cruel political act.

[Courtney Brown]

Several weeks ago, the Trump administration sent

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

a letter to all 50 governors telling them to keep intersections free, free of

[Courtney Brown]

political messages, artwork and any markings not directly tied to pedestrian or driver safety. FDOT also releasing this memo stating their 2025 design manual explicitly prohibits the application

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

of pavement or surface art on travel

[Courtney Brown]

lanes, paved shoulders, intersections, crosswalks or sidewalks. State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith says he saw this coming.

[Colin Browen]

They're actively fighting with the city of Delray beach, with Key west, with Sarasota. This is the crosswalk that they wanted to make an example out of, the

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

crosswalk that was created to remember 49

[Colin Browen]

people who were murdered here.

[Courtney Brown]

Governor Ron DeSantis replying to a video posted by Guillermo Smith writing, we will

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

not allow our state roads to be

[Courtney Brown]

commandeered for political purposes.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

It's really hard for me to say I felt any other way but numb.

[Courtney Brown]

Darylis Torres survived the Pulse massacre and lost friends inside. She says if the city built a permanent memorial, painting over this crosswalk wouldn't be an issue.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

While I do not condone it, I think it's horrible and despicable that the state is actually doing that. The fact that they're using polls is more to pursue a different agenda than what it actually should mean had we

[Courtney Brown]

done things right in the first place. For many people affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting, they just wanted to make sure that the victims were remembered, which is what so many people say when their loved ones die. They just want to keep their names alive. So they've made do on that promise. Year after year, the community comes together to honor the victims. They continue to hold vigils, memorials, and moments of silence for the lives lost. The anniversary of the Pulse shooting also takes place in the middle of Pride Month and the National Violence Awareness Month. Christopher Linonen's mother, Christine, as well as many other survivors, have become advocates for stricter gun laws and gun safety. Christine spoke at the Democratic national convention in 2016, arguing against the availability of military style weapons, the same weapon the shooter used to kill dozens of people. In fact, there were four gun proposals inspired by the Orlando attack, including expanding background checks, banning gun cells to anyone who was on the terrorist watch list, and alerting law enforcement of anyone trying to purchase a weapon who had been on the terrorist watch list. Ultimately, all four proposals failed to pass.

[Colin Browen]

Despite the calls for reform following the Pulse massacre, the mass shootings have only increased. Just a year after Pulse occurred, it was surpassed as the worst mass shooting in the US by the Route 91 music festival in Las Vegas on October 1, 2017. During that shooting, 60 people were killed and hundreds were wounded. And every year, the shootings here in America continue. In fact, just two days before the Pulse nightclub shooting, the city of Orlando was already grieving over a lost life due to gun violence. Christina Grimmie had risen to fame from her popular YouTube videos where she would sing covers. Over the years, she gained a lot of followers and supporters. On June 10, 2012, she performed a concert in Orlando. Afterwards, she held a meet and greet where a man shot and killed her. Christina had risen to fame on the TV show the Voice, and her death was felt all around the world. And then, just two days later, in the very same city, 49 other people died from gun violence. As communities continue to grieve and demand change. The question of how to prevent mass shootings and reduce gun violence remains an ongoing and ever present challenge. It's something that people just can't seem to agree on here in the United States. And as we continue debating and running around in circles every single day, more lives are continuously lost.

[Courtney Brown]

Now, starting in 2026, as the city of Orlando continued with plans to build a permanent public memorial, bits and pieces of Pulse Nightclub started to come down. During the demolition, the construction fence surrounding the property was lined with rainbow colors and the names of those lost. On March 10, 2026, in the early morning hours, the iconic Pulse sign was taken from its post and removed from the site. For 10 years it stood over the remains of the nightclub, both a reminder of the lives lost and a beacon of hope for the future. Throughout March and April of 2026, the remaining items inside the club were removed and put into storage for the Future Memorial, a memorial that is set to be completed by 2027. And just recently, the demolition of Pulse Nightclub was officially completed. They had completely removed the structure where so many people lost their lives. Survivor Brandon Wolf would later say, the building may come down and we may finally get a permanent memorial, but that doesn't change the fact that this community has been scarred for life. There are people inside the community who still need and will continue to need support and resources to make a purpose

[Colin Browen]

out of the tragedy. Many survivors have banded together to make a difference for the LGBTQ community, Orlando and the world in general. One survivor, Brandon Wolf, launched the Drew Project, a non profit organization that offers scholarships for LGBTQ youth and offers financial support for communities to form Gay Straight Alliances. The Drew Project is named in honor of Brandon's close friend Christopher Andrew Linonen, who was killed inside of Pulse. To date, the Drew Project has awarded a quarter of a million dollars in scholarships and has helped create dozens of Gay Straight alliance groups in schools across the US that especially hits home for everyone who knew Christopher Drew Linonen because back in 2004 he helped create one of the first GSAs in Florida at Seminole High School. Now his legacy is able to live on and grows more year by year. Other groups also formed in response to Pulse as well. Q Latinx, a support group for LGBTQ individuals with Latin heritage, aims to create safe spaces for marginalized communities. In the name of the 49 people who were killed on June 12, 2016.

[Courtney Brown]

The gunman in the shooting came to Pulse that night to take as many lives as he could. He wanted to spread hate and violence and he did. But out of this horrific tragedy came so much love and support. Lifelong friendships were forever cemented by the shooting. Advocates for gun safety and equal rights were made, and soon enough, a permanent memorial will finally be built, reminding everyone that in the end, it's connection and love that prevails. And we feel it's best to end this series not with our words, but with the words of one of Pulse's survivors. If you recall, Patience Carter was locked inside the bathroom at Pulse during the shooting, along with her friend Tiara Parker and her friend's cousin, Akira Murray. Ultimately, Akira did not survive. But in the wake of the tragedy, Patience became an advocate for common sense gun laws in an effort to deal with her survivor's guilt. And in the wake of her grief, she found something else in a very unexpected place. While Patience was recovering in a hospital, Akira's brother Alex began visiting her. They consoled each other over Akira's loss, and over time, the two fell in love. In August of 2019, they got married, with their guardian angel standing over them. Patience told LGBTQ magazine the word legacy can also mean gift or something handed down to us from the past. As counterintuitive as it might be to think of an event so tragic as a gift, I hope that the legacy of the Pulse nightclub shooting can be about love. If Pulse taught me anything, it's that none of us can exist without love. The legacy that that night has left, the gift it gave me, is to see that love is the axis on which the world spends.

[Colin Browen]

In honor of the victims, survivors and heroes of Pulse, we will be making a donation to the LGBT Center Orlando, an organization that continues to provide support and resources for the families of the 49 victims of the Pulse tragedy, as well as the numerous survivors. Hey everybody, thank you so much for joining us for this fourth and final episode in in our Pulse nightclub shooting series. And at this point, Courtney and I are off on our one month summer break where we get ahead on the show and work really hard to try to bring you guys the best episodes possible. So I know it's always sad for some people when we take the summer break, but we will be back at the very beginning of August, potentially late July. We don't really know yet, but in the meantime, if you're missing Murder in America and you still want to get episodes during the break break, consider joining us over on Patreon. On Patreon, you can get access to early ad free versions of the show. And most importantly, I guess for some people during these months when we take breaks off Bonus episodes. We still post two bonus episodes every single month on our Patreon. These are full length episodes of the show like the one you just heard. So if you want to get access to early ad free episodes and those bonus episodes, consider joining us over on Patreon and supporting the show in that way. Also, don't forget to follow us on Instagram Urderinamerica to see photos from every case that we cover here on the show. And as always, be sure to leave us a five star review wherever you listen to the show, whether it's Apple Podcasts or Spotify or wherever. We love hearing from you guys and your reviews help the show grow. We can't thank y' all enough for, you know, making the show what it is. Anyways guys, we will be back in a couple of weeks. Thank you all for tuning in. We hope you have a great, great month and a great summertime. But yeah, we'll be back soon. Thank you all for tuning in. I'll catch you all on the next one.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Descend into the unexplained and unimaginable. Mom said to them, what?

[Courtney Brown]

What are you here for? What do you want?

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Humans True accounts of crimes and anomalies so strange they defy reasoning.

[Colin Browen]

It was extreme violence.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

I've never seen anything like it.

[Courtney Brown]

She was forced to eat human flesh and survive the unthinkable.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Welcome to the Antiquarium of Sinister Happenings and documented attractions. And at that moment, the feeling to survive kicked in, almost like an animal instinct. I told her to run.

[Courtney Brown]

I knew that minute something terrible had happened.

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Why would somebody do this to him?

[Courtney Brown]

Why would they try to hurt my baby?

[Various Survivors, Family Members, and Interviewees]

Why are you? Search the Antiquarium of documented Atrocities on

[Colin Browen]

Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

[Courtney Brown]

A presentation of Bloody FM.