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Crews remove artifacts from Pulse
Crews are removing artifacts from Pulse as preparations are underway to build a permanent memorial.
On Monday morning, Dec. 22, crews began carefully removing several items from inside the Pulse Nightclub site to save them for potential use in the future Pulse Memorial.
It marks the latest step in a nearly 10-year effort to build a memorial to honor the 49 people killed, and 53 people hurt, in the 2016 shooting.
What items are being removed?
The City of Orlando said it has plans to remove a number of items from inside the Pulse Nightclub memorial site. Those items will be stored in a facility for potential use in the permanent memorial.
Two (2) chandeliers
Signage and posters
Ornamental framed mirror
Bar top
Track lighting including track
Cash register
Primary section of breach wall
Portion of the sunburst wall inside the club
Portion of the "Glitter" wall inside the club
Wood floor (as much as possible)
Rectangular ceiling pendent lights
iPad
The numbers on the outside of the building
Tiles from the outside patio bar
The City said some of those listed items could change as the removal process continues. The City also plans to save some items from the temporary memorial, including a portion of the existing fencing, benches, and memorial items left by family, friends, and visitors.
What will the Pulse Memorial look like?
In February 2025, the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee finalized the vision and conceptual design for the memorial.
Plans include:
- A Memorial and Reflection Space that will use the footprint of the original Pulse building
- A survivor's tribute wall with seating and a designated survivor's tree
- The Angel Ellipse Site that will feature 49 Canopy columns with rainbow-colored glass panels to honor the 49 people killed
- A private gathering space that will include an Angel Personal Effects Capsule where families can leave flowers, tie banners and other mementos.
- A reflection pool where the original dance floor was located inside Pulse
- The Healing and Prism Garden
- A visitor's pavilion that will be used for public accommodations, exhibition space, or indoor gatherings.
How long will it take to build?
Timeline:
The City of Orlando purchased the Pulse Nightclub site in late 2023 and propelled forward plans to build a permanent memorial site. That followed the dissolvement of the OnePulse Foundation, which intended to build a memorial, but was marred by financial and organizational scrutiny and delays for years.
Here is the latest timeline:
February 2026: 30% design plans
March/April 2026: Site clearing begins
May 2026: 60% design plans
Early fall 2026: start of construction
Late 2027: Construction completed
Pulse Nightclub shooting
At 2:02 a.m. on June 12, 2016, a 29-year-old man entered Pulse Nightclub, a prominent LGBTQ nightclub in downtown Orlando, and began shooting.
Forty-nine people were killed, and 53 people were hurt in the mass shooting. More than 300 people were inside the club at the time, celebrating Latin Night.
At the time, the Pulse Nightclub shooting was the deadliest mass shooting in American history.
Police shot and killed the suspect after a 3-hour standoff inside the building. According to the FBI and released transcripts, the suspect pledged allegiance to
Honoring the Angels
Here are the names of the 49 people – the angels – who were killed in the Pulse Nightclub shooting.
Stanley Almodovar III, 23
Amanda L. Alvear, 25
Oscar A. Aracena-Montero, 26
Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33
Antonio Davon Brown, 29
Darryl Roman Burt II, 29
Angel Candelario-Padro, 28
Juan Chavez Martinez, 25
Luis Daniel Conde, 39
Cory James Connell, 21
Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25
Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32
Simón Adrian Carrillo Fernández, 31
Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25
Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26
Peter Ommy Gonzalez-Cruz, 22
Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22
Paul Terrell Henry, 41
Frank Hernandez, 27
Miguel Angel Honorato, 30
Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40
Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19
Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30
Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, 25
Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32
Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21
Brenda Marquez McCool, 49
Gilberto R. Silva Menendez, 25
Kimberly Jean Morris, 37
Akyra Monet Murray, 18
Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20
Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25
Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36
Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32
Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35
Enrique L. Rios Jr., 25
Jean Carlos Nieves Rodríguez, 27
Xavier Emmanuel Serrano-Rosado, 35
Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24
Yilmary Rodríguez Solivan, 24
Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34
Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33
Martin Benitez Torres, 33
Jonathan A. Camuy Vega, 24
Juan Pablo Rivera Velázquez, 37
Luis Sergio Vielma, 22
Franky Jimmy DeJesus Velázquez, 50
Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37
Jerald Arthur Wright, 31
The Source: The information in this article is from the City of Orlando, Orange County Sheriff's Office, FBI, FOX 35 reporting, and previous FOX 35 reporting.