Remembering Pulse: The path to a permanent memorial

Dr. Larry Schooler, Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee Facilitator, joined FOX 35's Garrett Wymer via Zoom to discuss the path to creating a permanent memorial to honor the victims of the Pulse shooting at the site of the Pulse nightclub. The City of Orlando purchased the nightclub property in October 2023 and the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee began meeting in July 2024 before presenting their final concept to the city in February 2025. Dr. Schooler spoke on the process of soliciting community input to build the memorial and the meaning of the design elements as Orlando gets closer to having a permanent memorial to honor the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting. Thursday marks nine years since a gunman opened fire at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people and leaving 53 wounded. 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. FOX 35's live team coverage includes Pulse survivors and victims' families speaking on their trips inside the Pulse nightclub site, the designer behind the permanent memorial and how the city of Orlando and Orange County choose to honor the victims of this tragedy. 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.