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

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. Trigger warnings from the stories we cover may include violence, rape, murder, and offenses against children. This podcast is not for everyone. You have been warned. 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 US history. 49 lives gone in one night and a targeted violent attack. That afternoon, Florida Governor Rick Scott posted on Twitter saying, "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." 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. Why? Why did the gunman arm himself with two guns? Walk into post nightclub and change the lives of hundreds if not thousands of people. To sum, 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 poll series. So with that, I'm Courtney Browin. And I'm Colin Browin. And you're listening to Murder in America. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] 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 Southern Springs, or Yvaldi, 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, and 40, and 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 130 PM, 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 massacre of dozens of innocent people. We pray for their families, who are grasping for answers with broken hearts. We stand with the people of Orlando, who have endured a terrible attack on their city. Although it's still early in the investigation, we know enough to say that this was an act of terror and an act of hate. 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. 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 Iola in Orlando. But the support wasn't just shown in Orlando. From coast to coast, visuals and memorials popped up, offering mourners a place to come together and pay their respects. These visuals 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 weight of the tragedy, and a time where acceptance was still very much in 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. Following the shooting, Pulse was shut down for good, but the sidewalk outside its shuttered doors was soon flooded with flowers, 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 lifesaving. 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's 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 message, "We stand with you." As 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. These amazing children that are standing in front of you right now is a part of an organization two days after the tragedy. I open 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. 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 Hanging 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. 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. 20-year-old Luis Omar Acasio-Capo, who went by Omar, had recently moved to Orlando from Nashville when he was killed inside Poles, 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, quote, "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, complaining process." 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 Calle and Dino. Calle 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 Kalie 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 Kalie was shot in the back of an 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. 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 Ciberis, pastor at Impact Church, attended multiple funerals of the post-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 have been taken and individuals fighting for their lives now and having to plan all these funerals." But in that darkness of the funerals, there were people determined to bring the light. A Chicago carpenter, Greg Xanis, 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 Poles," where bikers from all over participated in a motorcycle procession that escorted the victim's family members to the funerals. One of the very first victims to be buried was 37-year-old Kimberly K. J. Morris, who was buried at Oceola 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 K. J. she loved to dance. As person after person went on stage holding candles, they spoke fondly of K. J. reminiscing about her dance routines where she performed as a drag king named Daddy K. Her friend, Shakira Henry Fessler, said, "I'd love to watch her perform because she loved it so much. She made you feel like you were on the stage there with her." For many, 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. Throughout all of the funerals, they all carried a similar message. 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 Hemines, a 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." End quote. 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 cheats 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, and Golden by Westboro, did show up, and they held up signs that read, "God hates the Efsler." 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 for well and peace. The love and protection that the community offered the victim's families continued. Because very quickly, Westboro Baptist 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. 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, two 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 Eftler, and Matthew in Hell." But luckily, a local feeder 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 morning families. An action that told them that their community was with them, and that the times have changed. Kate 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." 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. "Right now, we want to learn more 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. No, thank you. I'm sorry to be here in any circumstances. Tell me about your husband." He was a wonderful person. How'd you guys meet? We met at the nightclub in back in 2007. What was it about? It drew you. It was. We met through a friend, really good friend, his name is Leo, the interest of those us. We were really funny. We got here at the same time on the same year that I got here from Panama in 2007. He came from Puerto Rico? Exactly. 2007. So we started a really good friendship, then we decided to date and then we got married. You think you've been friends since 2007? Exactly. So you've been friends for a long time before you actually started dating? So actually I can. We're very close. We were really close. I know him very well. What was that decision to get married, was that life? 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 the life together. And it's very occurs because that was in June 26th, 2015. And we went into the courthouse and we got married and when 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 and that's the 55th day. That's great for me. It was a big coincidence for them. Yeah. And we didn't know. Yeah, no idea what was going to happen. Exactly. Wow. You wanted to thank. There's been such an outpouring of support and such an outpouring from police, medical personnel. You wanted to thank people. I wanted to thank everybody that had been really helpful with us and to have reached us and make sure we're okay. And helping with everything we need from the government. All these associations are willing to help with 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 had 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 can feel it. Absolutely. I have been having long days every day. Since day one, when I was looking for him that Sunday, I left my apartment at 8 a.m. And I found him, I can say, because I would 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, hey, I've given me 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 a wonderful person, willing to help everybody. Put in everybody first and then him in the second place. And it was some much support for everything, for me and all that matters, you know. Now, throughout these funerals, there were some families who faced challenges that were completely out of their control. You see, the body of Omar Matin 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 your 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 know that the person who took their life is just a stone's throw away. 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 we were making progress. Then the poll shooting happened, and it felt like we took a huge step backwards. What 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. The funerals, memorials, and public discussions regarding the poll 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 a wrecking style 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 1/3 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 Moreiro, who 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 week. 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 a night. 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 re-dressing his wounds. Okay, my arm is still chattered, unrappable, it's healing, but I don't have movement in my two fingers, I don't want to look, I'm not okay, and that's only physical. 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. Thirty-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. 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." Ultimately, Jeff was released to a physical therapy and rehab facility, where he was retought 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 questions. My head Omar Matin done this, and how could they prevent it from ever happening again? Omar Matin's motive has been a part of the conversation since the early morning hours of June 12, 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, 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." "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 U.S. that they needed to stop bombing foreign countries." "If you have to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq, they're killing a lot of innocent people, so what am I to do here when people are getting killed over there?" "You get what I'm saying?" "I do, I completely get what you're saying while I'm trying to do is prevent anybody else to stop the U.S. air strike. They need to stop the U.S. air strikes, okay? I understand that. You need to stop the U.S. air strikes. You have to tell the U.S. government to stop bombing. They're killing too many children. They're killing too many women." 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 text 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. 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 she had his 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, quote, "bits" and calls to action. This obsessive interest that grew over time, as well as his lack of communication with any outside sources, loved 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 Komey, 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 there is no evidence so far that he was in fact directed by ISIL, and there also at this stage is no direct evidence that he was part of a larger plot. In that sense, it appears to be similar to what we saw in San Bernardino, but we don't yet know. And this is part of what is 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 Sarnayev did his thing on the Boston Marathon, okay, so now it's my turn, okay?" Tamerlan Sarnayev and his brother Zokar 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 one. lone wolf terrorists that had been radicalized online. Dr. Lee Lana Faire of the US 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 in 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 can be a high risk factor for extremists at this stage on the path of violence. The third stage is when someone expressing extreme views moves away from the first amendments protection of free speech and has the intent to commit a crime. This stage is known as the "acceptance of violent" 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 incident. To law enforcement, those four steps were visible in both the Boston Marathon bombers and an Omar Matin. They felt an emptiness and hatred that they filled by making themselves believe they were justified and a part of something. CIA veteran Paul Piller 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." Omar Matin 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 poll's attack. Stating quote, "The attack that targeted a nightclub for homosexuals in Orlando, Florida and that left more than 100 dead and wounded was carried out by an Islamic state fighter." When the attack was officially labeled "terrorism," many LGBTQ+ advocates argued that it should also be considered a hate crime. City Commissioner Patty Shehan said the shooter undoubtedly targeted the LGBTQ+ community pointing out that he chose a gay nightclub and it reportedly looked into other similar venues. In her view, Culling 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 Matin, 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 Ty, 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. 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, Cedique, protested the idea, claiming that his son was essentially homophobic. 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, Adam for Adam. 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 men on Grindr. Following an interview with Univision, Miguel altered his appearance with a mask and disguised his voice. He claimed that recently, Omar 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 that the possibility he had been exposed to HIV and may have exposed his wife to it. Even religions 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. After extensive searches of the shooter's computer or cell phones and other electronic media, it was determined that he did not target polls because it was a venue for members of the LGBTQ+ community. If you recall, prior to the attack on polls, Omar went to two other locations first, Disney Springs, and Eve Knight Club, 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 Knight Club. 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 Knight Club, 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're still fighting, even 10 years later. Not to this day, there is still debate over how to classify the Pulse Knight Club shooting, whether it was an active 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. Now for a brief ad break. As the discussion about Omar Matin 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 to Dan Long, and she isn't wrong. Tiara was one of the victims who was trapped inside the bathroom with the shooter for hours, 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 Meena 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 Groneck, 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 Poles' Nightclub." And to say that didn't happen is an understatement. Omar Mateen barricaded himself in the North restroom at 2.10 a.m., just eight minutes after the shooting began. Despite this, victims were left and not just the North restroom, but also the South restroom, bleeding out and dying until at least 5.17 a.m., 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. Okay, you're in the restroom? Yes. Which restroom? No, we're not telling you to do that yet. No, no, no. Someone needs to get sent in here then. Someone just wants to listen, just be more dead. And how many are deceased? One, two, one, three, four that I can see. Okay. And then one, and two, are about three out two. Talk to me. Demetrius Nolings, a survivor of the shooting and friend of one of the victims, gave his opinion regarding the police response and the documentary, 49 pulses. 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 serving protect. I mean, you guys have armor, you have all the, all the right tools and the success to do it. But that's the me being mad side. But me being human, if I was within 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 she probably wasn't prepared. But if your plan was to come bustin' 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. Reportedly, 16 people who ultimately died inside of pulse head 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, so he likely knew if he stated he had a bomb in hostages, it would delay the situation. However, Christopher Drew I know in his mother, Christine felt very differently, and she had experienced a backup 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 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. 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 wall day 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. 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, preexisting Orlando police community relationships, fostered and sustained over time, enhanced the resilience of the community and the aftermath of the pulse terrorist shooting." In addition, the final result of rescuing hostages was seemed justified. It read, "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 active 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 a review of 911 transcripts, a total of 603 during the duration of the shooting, ballistic 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. "But this is where things get a little controversial." And the reports published by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the FBI, it states that at 217, a SWAT commander fired shots at the suspect, Omar Matin, and 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. But according to the victims on scene, it wasn't Omar Matin 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. 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. 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 officers swore under oath, too. Both of the officers who fired, Lieutenant Smith and Sergeant Backes, swore under oath 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. 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 from 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 struggled with PTSD to this day from the sheer carnage that took place at Pulse. Orlando Police Officer Jerry Reelin spoke candidly about his experience with PTSD and what he went through that day. He was called early on June 12th 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 almost 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. "Horifically, six months after the shooting, two first responders died by suicide. When Ethanville police officer Omar Delgado shift ended. On the morning of June 12th, 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 still well 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, murderers, or 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 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 playing his 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, "There's 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. "There's someone else who is 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 were Cole, 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, "Come outside now." Confused and disoriented, Noor walked outside of her home, still wearing her pajamas. There in the shadows of her yard, officers watched her, crouched behind trees with her and the sides 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 a 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. Well, today, federal agents arrested the widow of the Orlando Nightclub gunman Omar Matin. 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 Strossman has the latest. FBI agents arrested 30-year-old Noor Salman at this home in Rodeo, California near San Francisco. She had been living here with her 4-year-old son, her mother, and her younger sister, neighbor Glauber-Franchi. Police say Omar Matin terrorized the Pulse Nightclub right after last call, by shooting and killing indiscriminately. FBI investigators interviewed Salman for hours after the attack. Sources tell CBS News Salman is expected to be charged with aiding and abetting and obstructing. of justice. In the weeks leading up to the shooting, sources say she accompanied Mattine when he bought ammunition used in the attack and was with him during surveillance trips to Pulse and to Disney World, which investigators believe Mattine may also have considered as a target. About two hours into the massacre, law enforcement sources tell us Mattine texted his wife, "Where are you?" she asked. "Do you see what's happening?" he replied, "No," she said. Finally, he wrote, "I love you, babe." In an interview with the New York Times in November, Salman insists Mattine abused her and that she was unaware of everything about his nightclub assault. Her attorney, Linda Moreno, said in a statement, "Nor Salman had no foreknowledge nor could she predict what Omar Mattine intended to do that tragic night. We believe it is misguided and wrong to prosecute her." Moore'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 nor 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 out Pulse, 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 Nor had gone to buy ammo with Omar, and that he had taken her on a shopping spree before his death. Nor's team countered this, stating that at the time, Omar had told Nor 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, "Nor 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 Nor 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 Nor's knowledge of the attack. However, public opinion and the court of law are two very different things. Ultimately, Nor was found not guilty of aiding and abetting, and not guilty of obstruction of justice. Tonight, Nor Salmon leaving the courthouse without a word. It's a great day for Miss Salmon. Her attorney is reacting to the not guilty verdicts. I think she was overwhelmed. I think we're all overwhelmed. But outside the Pulse Night Club where Salmon's husband Omar Matin 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 this belief. I feel like we've been slapped in the face. As of the publishing of this episode, Nor 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. But for many, 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, a concert featuring Orlando Gay Chorus, and a remembrance ceremony outside the nightclub that was decorated with messages of hope and love. 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 community 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 before we remember the victims. Thank you all. Be blessed. Keep God in your heart. Keep love in your heart. Love on one another. Hold on to one another. 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 that. The person next to you in front of you behind you, to your left. They're all your brothers. Remember that always. Love wins. Love you all. For years, on the anniversary of the shooting, people gathered outside the shuttered 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 owner 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, an honor of her brother, John, who passed away from AIDS. She stated, "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. The owner of the Pulse nightclub says that the site will become a permanent memorial and a museum to honor the 49 people who were killed during the worst mass shooting in modern US history. The idea is to comfort loved ones now and to educate future generations about the importance of tolerance. 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. 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 survivors and family members. 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. 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 memorials should be there at all. Christopher Lennon'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. [BLANK_AUDIO] 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 and 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. 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. We watched several buses stop here at Pulse nightclub filled with victims, families, and survivors so they could take a tour. We spoke with one mother after she 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. Christine Linenin, mother of Christopher Drew Linenin, spoke about her walkthrough of the Pulse nightclub on Wednesday. I was trying to picture 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? Bus is 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. 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. 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. 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. The city hopes to have construction of the permanent memorial completed by summer of 2027. Linenin says she's thankful she walked through the building. As painful as it is, it's nowhere near as painful as what my son experienced that night. I just, how would I, how could walking through even compare to what he went through. And more tours of the building for victims, families and survivors are expected to take place again on Thursday through Saturday. 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. In 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. But everyone wanted to remember, 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. After he is speaking with the media, on why he decided not to enter the nightclub. 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 10th, 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 in the resilience of the local LGBTQ+ community. However, disgustingly, on August 21st, 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 "from the Florida Department of Transportation" after destroying the memorial crosswalk. Right now, there's a crowd of people growing near the Pulse Nightclub site in Orlando upset about this. The rainbow crosswalk being painted over. But the governor is doubling down on the state's decision to remove it. It's getting out to Fox 35, 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, Lewand, some fast-working folks brought out the chalk and worked to restore that rainbow. 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 have banners. They have flags. They are hoping their presence here is going to leave a much-long-lasting impact more than any chalk could do. Its vibrant cues restored, at least temporarily with chalk, after Orlando's iconic rainbow crosswalk outside the Pulse Nightclub site was painted over in the dead of night. Yasmin Flasterstein, hoping her 49 flowers can brighten the day for those upset over the crosswalk. While they're feeling hurt, maybe they could feel some support too. Calling the move callus, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, writing, quote, "heistily removing part of a memorial to what was at the time our nation's largest mass shooting without any supporting safety data or discussion is a cruel political act." Several weeks ago, the Trump administration sent a letter to all 50 governors telling them to keep intersections free of political messages, artwork, and any markings not directly tied to pedestrian or driver safety. F. Also releasing this memo, stating their 2025 design manual explicitly prohibits the application of pavement or surface art, on travel lanes, paved shoulders, intersections, crosswalks, or sidewalks. State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith says he saw this coming. "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 crosswalk that was created to remember 49 people who were murdered here." Governor Rhonda Santos replying to a video posted by Guillermo Smith, writing, "We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes." "It's really hard for me to say I felt any other way but numb." Derrily 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. "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 poles is more to pursue a different agenda than what it actually should mean. Had we done things right in the first place." For many people affected by the Pulse Night Club 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. After a 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 pole shooting also takes place in the middle of the day. Pride Month and the National Violence Awareness Month. Christopher Lenon and his 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. Despite the calls for reform following the pulse massacre, 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 in 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. 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 the 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 Wolfe would later say quote, "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 out of the tragedy, many survivors have vandered together to make a difference for the LGBTQ+ community, Orlando, and the world in general. One survivor Brandon Wolfe launched the Drew Project, a nonprofit 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 Linnonen, 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 Linnonen, 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. QLatinx, 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. 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, patient's Carter was locked inside the bathroom at Pulse during the shooting, along with her friend Tiara Parker and her friend's cousin Akira Moray. Ultimately Akira did not survive. But in the wake of the tragedy, patients 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 patients 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. Patients told LGBTQ magazine, quote, "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 Night Club 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. 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 our Pulse Night Club 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 mean time, if you're missing murder in America and you still want to get episodes during the 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 @Murder in America 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 you all enough for, you know, making this 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 month and a great summertime. But yeah, we'll be back soon. I'll catch y'all on the next one.