The massacre ended up becoming one of the most deadly in the history of the USA, the Orlando shooting was carried out by a lone gunman who went into the club that evening and killed more than 49 people on June 12, 2016. In the Pulse nightclub, in which Latin Night was in progress, a gunman fired rounds into crowd as patrons reigned in on the popular LGBTQ+ venue, killing 49 and wounding over 50 more.
Omar Mateen opened fire with an assault rifle and a semi-automatic pistol. Then he was shot and killed during a gun battle with police. This attack was labelled as a hate crime and terror, as Mateen had sworn allegiance to ISIS at the time of the attack.
The shooting was followed by widespread outrage within the USA and abroad, and a renewed call for stricter gun control and for attention to LGBTQ+ issues.Nationwide vigils and memorials demonstrated support and compassion for victims.
Which is what turned the Orlando shooting from a mass shooting into an act of terrorism — and from a mass shooting and an act of terrorism into not only a horrific act of terror but a horrific act of terror that painted a glowing neon sign (with blinking lights) on gun violence, gun access, hate crime, gun control or lack thereof, and a complete and utter absence of sane and sane discourse on — if not solutions for — mental illness and safety in the United States of America. It also stimulated an increased attention around the intersectionality of identity — especially with regard to race, sexuality, and safety.
The tragedy is still felt in the years since as a gruesome brand in the community and a rallying cry for changes to be made to prevent future violence against and to equalize the playing field for anyone who is a member of the LGBTQ community.
