COCONUT GROVE, FLA. (WSVN) - Mourners across the state are remembering the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting two years after the deadly Orlando massacre.
Loved ones and supporters gathered to pay tribute Tuesday on the two-year anniversary of the mass shooting.
Churches across the country are also remembering the lives lost.
Plymouth Congregational Church in Coconut Grove honored the 49 lives lost by ringing a church bell 49 times.
The church’s administrative assistant, Thaddaeus Elliott, rang the bell and expressed the significance of it.
“It’s important, I think, especially for churches that are open and affirming of LGBT people to memorialize these moments as a sign, as a symbol that we are here and that we support you,” Elliott said.
On June 12, 2016, a man went into the Pulse nightclub in Orlando and opened fire, killing 49 people and injuring 53 others. He was later killed by police.
On the first anniversary of the mass shooting, 7News spoke with Pinecrest residents Fred and Maria Wright who were attending an event in Orlando.
“Today is the day of love and kindness,” Fred said in 2017.
Their son, Jerry, was killed in the massacre.
“I miss him very, very much. Wherever he is, he is hearing this, and he knows we love him,” Maria said.
Many families are dealing with the pain in the wake of mass shootings across the country.
It’s why a die-in demonstration was scheduled, Tuesday. One in West Palm Beach showed people on the ground representing death.
It was a day of demanding action when it comes to gun violence and remembering those taken by it.
Elliott said he’s honored to participate. “I just had a mix of emotions of both grief and mourning for the lives that were lost, but also a sense of hope and confidence that we are moving toward a better future,” he said.
A remembrance ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Orlando at the Pulse nightclub memorial.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.