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Pulse massacre survivors, families visit nightclub site on 9th anniversary, before its demolition

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Published  June 11, 2025 11:04pm EDT
Pulse Remembrance
FOX 35 Orlando
Pulse massacre survivors, families visit nightclub site

Pulse massacre survivors, families visit nightclub site

Survivors and families of the 49 victims killed in the Pulse nightclub shooting were invited this week to walk through the nightclub for the first time since the June 12, 2016, massacre, just before the site is demolished.

The Brief

    • Families and survivors of the Pulse Nightclub shooting are touring the site for the first time, nine years after the attack.
    • The City of Orlando purchased the property in 2023 and plans to build a $12 million permanent memorial by 2027.
    • Emotional reactions have varried, as visible scars and memories resurfaced during the walkthroughs.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Survivors and families of the 49 victims killed in the Pulse Nightclub shooting were invited this week to walk through the nightclub for the first time since the June 12, 2016, massacre, just before the site is demolished. 

What we know:

Over four days, visitors are allowed 30-minute visits inside the building, where physical traces of the tragedy — including bullet holes and escape routes — remain. The City of Orlando bought the site in 2023 for $2 million and plans to replace it with a $12 million permanent memorial by 2027.

What we don't know:

Some visitors opted out or left early, highlighting emotional limits, but the full psychological impact of the visits remains to be seen. It’s unclear how the new memorial will be received long-term by survivors, families, and the LGBTQ+ community, given past failed efforts and lingering distrust towards city leadership and former club owners.

The backstory:

Pulse was hosting a Latin Night when Omar Mateen opened fire, killing 49 and wounding 53 in what was then the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Survivors and families had long pushed for meaningful access to the site and a permanent tribute, but a controversial foundation failed to deliver on its $100 million memorial plan, prompting the city to step in.

Pulse nightclub shooting site visits begin in Orlando

Pulse nightclub shooting site visits begin in Orlando

In Orlando, survivors and victims' families of the shooting that killed 49 at the Pulse Nightclub begin to tour the site ahead of the teardown to build a permanent memorial. Tomorrow marks nine years since the deadly mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Today, family members of those lost and survivors of the shooting will walk inside the building. The building will eventually be torn down to build a memorial. James Copenhaver, a law enforcement expert, joins FOX 35's David Martin and Garrett Wymer to talk about the emotional visits.

The Pulse tragedy reshaped Orlando and became a global symbol of violence against the LGBTQ+ community. 

RELATED: Pulse Memorial: Orange County commits $5 million toward permanent site

Timeline:

At the time, it was the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The Pulse shooting’s death toll was surpassed the following year when 58 people were killed and more than 850 were injured among a crowd of 22,000 at a country music festival in Las Vegas.

  • June 12, 2016: Pulse nightclub shooting leaves 49 dead
  • 2023: City of Orlando purchases site for $2 million after onePulse Foundation disbands
  • June 2025: Survivors and families tour the club just before 9th anniversary
  • 2027: Planned opening of a $12 million permanent memorial
What is next for a permanent Pulse memorial

What is next for a permanent Pulse memorial

Thursday will mark 9 years since the tragic Pulse Nightclub shooting that claimed 49 lives. FOX 35's John Brown has the latest updates on the future of a permanent Pulse memorial.

What they're saying:

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and city officials say these site visits are a vital part of the healing process, though for many, the emotional wounds persist and the loss remains irreparable.

"Nothing can bring the 49 back. Nothing can cure the mental anguish so many people have gone through," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer on Wednesday. "I would hope, a site visit would be helpful." 

Christine Leinonen, whose son, Christopher "Drew" Leinonen, was killed in the mass shooting, was among the first groups to go inside the club on Wednesday. 

"It’s not closure. It’s pragmatic for me because I needed to see the space. I needed to see how big it was," Leinonen said afterward. "I would have regretted it if I didn’t go through it."

Brandon Wolf, who hid in a bathroom as the gunman opened fire, said he wasn’t going to visit, primarily because he now lives out of state. He said he wanted to remember Pulse as it was before.

"I will say that the site of the tragedy is where I feel closest to the people who were stolen from me," said Wolf, who is now national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, a LGBTQ+ advocacy group. "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."

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the City of Orlando, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Christine Leinonen, and additional reporting by the Associated Press.

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