ORLANDO, Fla. – People from across Central Florida are visiting the interim Pulse Memorial to mark seven years since the mass shooting that took 49 lives.
During a gathering early Monday, dozens marked the exact moment when a gunman opened fire at the Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016.
Recommended Videos
Julie Lozada was among the people who returned to the site to honor the victims.
“That night, I think what was the most telling is you could hear all the cell phones going off inside, people trying to figure out if their loved ones were there,” Lozada said.
Later in the morning, Congressman Darren Soto spent several minutes at the interim memorial to reflect on the tragedy.
“I’m brought back to the experiences that we all had in Orlando helping support the families of those lost,” Soto said. “It’s hard not to be pierced by the both the love and the terror that happened here as you walk through and see photo after photo.”
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider]
Wanda Barrett was one of several who offered prayers at the site of the tragedy.
“I just came out because my heart was heavy today and I came out to show support,” Barrett said. “We need to stop the violence. We’re Americans, United States. We need to be united.”
No official event was scheduled at the interim memorial, but security was present as hundreds were expected to visit the location throughout the day.
A Pulse remembrance ceremony was scheduled at the Doctor Philips Center for the Performing Arts for 7 p.m. Monday.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: