Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) issued the following statement in remembrance of last year’s shooting at the historic Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, FL, in which 49 people were murdered:
"On this solemn anniversary of the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub, my heart is with the victims, their loved ones, the survivors, and the entire Orlando community. We stand with all our LGBTQ brothers and sisters as we still grieve over this unspeakable tragedy that took 49 wonderful souls from us. Yet out of this act of evil, whether it was those who stood lines for blood banks or massive crowds at candlelight vigils, we saw how love will always conquer hate.
Each June we celebrate LGBT Pride Month, to both commemorate progress and love, and recognize all the work that still must be done. This is our first Pride month since last year’s horrific attack, so we must not lose sight of the fact that this was a historic LGBT-centered establishment, a place where many sought a sense of belonging within a too-often marginalized community. The victims this tragic night were largely young people from the LGBT community, or their loved ones, who were simply out celebrating their identities on Latin Night.
The people who lost their lives that day had families and futures. We owe it to all of them to challenge our colleagues in Congress to do something meaningful and definitive to end the epidemic of gun violence. One way we can help prevent such massive loss of life from happening again: keep weapons of war off our streets. In Orlando and across Florida and the nation, let's pledge to always stand up for love, and never forget those we lost.”
The 49 people who died in the shooting: Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34; Stanley Almodovar III, 23; Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20; Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22; Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36; Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22; Luis S. Vielma, 22; Kimberly Morris, 37; Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30; Darryl Roman Burt II, 29; Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32; Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21; Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25; Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35; Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50; Amanda Alvear, 25; Martin Benitez Torres, 33; Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37; Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26; Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35; Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25; Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31; Oscar A. Aracena-Montero, 26; Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25; Miguel Angel Honorato, 30; Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40; Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32; Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19; Cory James Connell, 21; Luis Daniel Conde, 39; Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33; Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25; Jerald Arthur Wright, 31; Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25; Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25; Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24; Jean C. Nives Rodriguez, 27; Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33; Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49; Yilmary Rodriguez Sulivan, 24; Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32; Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28; Frank Hernandez, 27; Paul Terrell Henry, 41; Antonio Davon Brown, 29; Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24; Akyra Monet Murray, 18; and Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25.
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