Massacre that killed 49 people in a US nightclub turns 10 years old; remember

This Friday (12) marks ten years since the attack on the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, considered the deadliest act of violence against the LGBTQIA+ community in the history of the United States and, at the time, the deadliest mass shooting ever recorded in the country.

In the early hours of June 12, 2016, around 300 people were attending a party at the nightclub when Omar Mir Seddique Mateen entered the place and opened fire on employees and customers.

According to the FBI, what began as a shooting attack turned into a hostage situation when the shooter entered a bathroom at the nightclub with several victims. After hours of negotiation and police operations, agents invaded the place at around 5 am and killed the attacker.

In total, 49 people died and another 58 were injured, according to official FBI data.

People visit a memorial near the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, on June 19, 2016 - Spencer Platt/Getty Images
During the attack, Mateen made three calls to the 911 emergency service. In the calls, he declared allegiance to the Islamic State, in addition to naming the perpetrators of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013, and a Florida man who died as a suicide bomber in the Syria.

After investigation, the FBI concluded that the massacre was an act of terrorism. At the time, the attack was considered the worst terrorist attack on American soil since the attacks of September 11, 2001.

In addition to the national impact, the episode left deep marks on the LGBTQIA+ community. The attack occurred during a Latin party promoted by Pulse, one of the best-known nightclubs in the region.

Memorial
Almost a decade after the tragedy, the old nightclub building was demolished. In March 2026, teams began to tear down the structure, which had remained closed since the attack and still showed marks of gunshots in some areas.

The property was acquired by the city of Orlando in 2023 for approximately $2 million. A permanent memorial valued at approximately US$12 million will be built at the site, scheduled to open in 2027.

The project seeks to preserve the memory of the victims and transform the space into a place of tribute and reflection on one of the most memorable episodes in recent United States history.

Ten years after the attack, family members, survivors and community members continue to hold events and ceremonies in memory of the victims, as the city of Orlando prepares to inaugurate the definitive memorial at the site of the tragedy.

Source: CNN