ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The 49 people killed in a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida were honored in Orlando and around the world on Saturday, the fifth anniversary of the attack.
City of Orlando officials said more than 600 places of worship worldwide tolled their bells 49 times to honor each victim who died in the Pulse Nightclub shooting. The First United Methodist Church of Orlando gathered loved ones and community members and read the victims' names.
Elected leaders and activists said throughout the day that the people who died need to be remembered not just with words, but with actions. U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, a Democrat who represents Orlando, said during a livestreamed national discussion hosted by a coalition of human rights and gun safety groups that she was inspired to run for public office following the tragedy.
"After five years, I still can't fathom why someone would do this. How could their hate be so strong?" Murphy said. "But today I have an even harder time understanding why some politicians still refuse to take the most basic steps to prevent the next shooting."
President Joe Biden said Saturday he will sign a bill naming the nightclub as a national memorial. He emphasized in a statement that the country must do more to reduce gun violence, such as banning assault weapons and closing loopholes in regulations that enable gun buyers to bypass background checks.
Brandon Wolf, media relations manager for the LGBTQ rights organization Equality Florida, recalled being at Pulse the night of the massacre and losing two of his best friends. He said during the panel discussion that he has since dedicated his life to making sure they didn't become a statistic.