Madonna honored the victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting with an emotional tribute during her Miami Celebration Tour concert on Tuesday.
The pop icon, 65, called the attack – in which gunman Omar Mateen killed 49 people and injured 53 others in a mass shooting in Orlando, Florida – “the largest terrorist attack in the United States after 9/11.” September” during his concert at the Kaseya. Center.
in a tiktok video Captured by a fan, Madonna said: “I want to draw attention to that moment because nightclubs, music and dancing are what bring us together.”
‘There should not be places or things we do that bring us sadness, tragedy, murder, death, pain, suffering and trauma. But, unfortunately, human beings are still stuck in a kind of routine.’
The star, who is an LGBTQ+ icon, said he would “always stand up for gays” because “gays have always stood up for me.”
Madonna honored the victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting with an emotional tribute during her concert in Miami on Tuesday (pictured last year).
The pop icon, 65, called the attack – in which gunman Omar Mateen killed 49 people and injured 53 others in a mass shooting in Orlando, Florida – “the largest terrorist attack in the United States after 9/11.” September” during his concert at the Kaseya. Center (Pulse in photo)
‘People gathered to dance in an inclusive club full of love. It was Latin Night, people were dancing to Latin music and a son of a bitch came in with two guns and started shooting at people.
‘I’m very excited about this. I make dance music. My job is to bring people together, make people dance, make people happy, not judge. This shit isn’t supposed to happen. Do not forget.
The star invited shooting survivors and victims’ loved ones to the show, and took a moment to recognize them in the crowd.
On June 16, 2016, Mateen shot more than 100 people with an AR-15 assault rifle and a handgun on the Pulse dance floor.
Thirty-nine of the dead died at the club and 11 people died in hospitals, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said.
Pulse, which described itself as Orlando’s most prominent gay club, urged partygoers to “get out and keep running” as bullets began flying.
At the time of the shooting there were about 320 people inside the club and about 100 people were taken hostage.
“He had an automatic rifle, so no one stood a chance,” said Jackie Smith, who saw two friends next to her get shot. “I was just trying to get out of there.”
In a TikTok video captured by a fan, Madonna said: “I want to draw attention to that moment because nightclubs, music and dancing are what bring us together.” “There shouldn’t be places or things we do that bring us sadness, tragedy, murder, death and pain.”
On June 16, 2016, Mateen shot more than 100 people with an AR-15 assault rifle and a handgun on the Pulse dance floor.
At 2:09 a.m., Pulse posted on its Facebook page: “Everyone get off Pulse and keep running.”
Mateen exchanged gunfire with 14 police officers at the club and at one point took hostages. In addition to the assault rifle, the shooter also had a handgun and some type of “suspicious device,” Police Chief John Mina said.
Around 5 a.m., authorities sent a SWAT team to rescue the remaining clubgoers, Mina said.
Officers initially mistakenly thought the gunman had strapped explosives to the dead after a bomb robot sent images of a battery part next to a body, Mayor Dyer said. The robot was dispatched after SWAT team members placed explosive charges on a wall and an armored vehicle knocked it down in an effort to rescue the hostages.
Nine hero officers used a “controlled explosion” to distract the shooter before fatally shooting him and were able to rescue about 30 hostages who were hiding in the club’s bathroom.
During the shooting, one officer was shot but was saved by his helmet. At least one hostage was thought to have been locked in a bathroom with gunshot wounds.
Mayor Buddy Dyer said at a news conference, “Many were saved by the heroic efforts of the men and women of OPD, the Orange County Sheriffs and the Seminal County Sheriff’s office.”
Around 6 a.m. local time, police tweeted: “Pulse shot: Shooter inside club dead.”
Mateen was investigated twice by the FBI for terrorist ties and was linked to American suicide bomber Moner Abu Salha.
Mateen was investigated twice by the FBI for terrorist ties and was linked to American suicide bomber Moner Abu Salha.
Agents did not charge Omar Mateen on both occasions and concluded that he had “only minimal contact” with Abu Salha, a Florida man who blew himself up on behalf of the Al Nusra Front in Syria in 2014.
Mateen was also investigated by the FBI for making “inflammatory comments” to colleagues alleging he had terrorist ties, but again no further action was taken.
He kept his job at a global security company, G4S, and was able to legally purchase weapons that were used in the worst mass shooting in US history.