NOW MARKING A MILESTONE.
A MASSIVE OUTPOURING OF EMOTION
ONE YEAR AFTER THE PULSE
NIGHTCLUB MASSACRE IN ORLANDO.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A
NIGHTMARE.
RELIVING THAT MOMENT.
TONIGHT TO SOUTH FLORIDA
WHERE SO MANY WERE GUNNED DOWN.
WE ARE REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS.
49 PEOPLE WERE MURDERED IN THE
EARLY HOURS OF JUNE 12, 2016.
DOZENS OF OTHERS WERE
INJURED WHEN A GUNMAN STORMED
THE CLUB.
WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE ON THE
ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE
MASSACRE IN ORLANDO.
THE DEADLIEST MASS SHOOTING IN
MODERN U.S. HISTORY.
CBS4 CAREY CODD GETS THINGS
STARTED FOR US LIVE TONIGHT IN
ORLANDO, CAREY?
Reporter: GOOD EVENING, RICK
AND LAUREN.
PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE
MADE A PILGRIMAGE TO PULSE
TODAY.
PEOPLE WHO LOST A CHILD.
PEOPLE WHO INTENDED TO BE HERE
THE NIGHT OF THE SHOOTING AND
MANY WHO SIMPLY WANTED TO BE
HERE TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS.
THE HEART OF IT ALL WAS A
PROMISE TO SPREAD LOVE.
EVERYWHERE YOU TURN TO PULSE
NIGHTCLUB IS A STORY.
HONESTLY YOU WOULDN'T WANT
TO COME HERE TODAY.
Reporter: SHE CAME WITH HER
FAMILY TO HONOR HER BROTHER
LUIS ONE OF 49 PEOPLE MURDERED
HERE LAST JUNE 12.
SO FULL OF LOVE AND SO FULL
OF LIFE.
HE LOVED DANCING.
HE WAS GOING TO COLLEGE.
Reporter: THE 20-YEAR-OLD'S
LIFE ENDED BEFORE HE WAS ABLE
TO ACHIEVE THE STARDOM HE
CRAVED.
PEOPLE GATHERED TO REMEMBER THE
LIVES OF THOSE TAKEN.
THEY HAVE LISTENED TO THE THE
NAMES OF THE VICTIMS BEING READ
AND THEY LISTENED TO SPEECHES
AND SONGS.
EARLY MONDAY MORNING AROUND THE
TIME THE FATAL SHOTS WERE FIRED
IN THE NIGHTCLUB LAST YEAR.
SURVIVORS GATHERED FOR A SOMBER
CEREMONY GUARDED BY A FORCE OF
49 ANGELS.
VICTIMS CONSOLED EACH OTHER AND
WEPT AND REMEMBER THOSE WHO
DIED.
THE NIGHTCLUB IS NOW A
MEMORIAL.
HUNDREDS PAID THEIR RESPECTS
WITH NOTES, PAINTED STONES, AND
MESSAGES OF LOVE.
THE OCCASION WAS BRIEFLY
ERUPTED BY A PAIR OF ANTI-GAY
COUNTERPROTESTERS WHO TRIED TO
GET ON THE GROUND.
ONE MAN WAS ARRESTED.
THEY WERE QUICKLY DROWNED OUT
BY A MESSAGE OF LOVE.
FOR THEM TO CHOOSE TODAY TO
SPREAD THE MESSAGE IS JUST
WRONG.
Reporter: DESPITE THE
INTERRUPTION, THIS DAY TOUCHED
BY THE TRAGEDIES.
THOSE DEDICATED ARE PREACHING
ACCEPTANCE AND THE FREEDOM TO
LIVE AS YOU CHOOSE.
LOVE IS THE ONLY THING TO
HELP US OUT RIGHT NOW IN THIS
DIFFICULT MOMENT.
I MEAN AT THE END OF THE DAY I
FEEL LIKE WE HAVE LOVE.
Reporter: WE WILL BRING YOU
MORE OF THOSE STORIES AT 6:00
INCLUDING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE
MAN WHO WAS SUPPOSE TO BE HERE
THE NIGHT OF THE SHOOTING, BUT
DECIDED TO STAY HOME AND HOW HE
HAS DEALT WITH THAT.
AND ALSO EFFORTS CREATED BY
SOME CHILDREN IN THE AREA
CALLED THE HANG A HEART
PROGRAM, WHICH CREATES
SOMETHING YOU -- SOMETHING
UNIQUE.
IT'S AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO SPREAD
LOVE AND HAPPINESS IN THE
COMMUNITY.
RICK, LAUREN IS -- RICK,
LAUREN?
WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THAT
BUILDING?
Reporter: WELL THAT'S A
GREAT QUESTION, RICK.
LET ME TELL YOU THAT'S BEEN THE
CENTER OF A LOT OF DISCUSSION
HERE.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GOING TO BE
SOME SORT OF MEMORIAL PUT UP.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT KIND OF
FORM WILL IT TAKE.
THERE'S A DISCUSSION UNDERWAY
RIGHT NOW, A FOUNDATION
ACTUALLY THAT'S BEEN CREATED TO
STUDY THAT.
THE QUESTION IS DO THEY KEEP
THIS BUILDING AND INCORPORATE
IT INTO A MEMORIAL OR DO THEY
TEAR IT DOWN AND PUT SOMETHING
UP IN ITS PLACE?
WE DID SPEAK TO MARIA AND FRED
WRIGHT THE PARENTS OF ONE OF
THE VICTIMS JERRY WRIGHT.
THEY LIVE IN MIAMI.
THEY TOLD ME LAST NIGHT THEY
CERTAINLY WANT TO SEE A
MEMORIAL.
WHATEVER IS HERE THEY WANT TO
SEE SOMETHING THAT ADDRESSES
THIS TYPE OF HATE THAT WENT
ALONG AND SPURRED THIS
VIOLENCE, AND HOW THE COMMUNITY
CAN ADDRESS THAT HATE.
CAREY OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF
GRIEVING AND HEALING GOING ON
FOR THESE FAMILIES OVER THE
LAST YEAR.
BUT WHEN HAS BEEN DONE FOR THEM
OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 365
DAYS?
Reporter: WELL LAUREN THE
FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM
BONDI RELEASED AN E-MAIL TODAY.
SOME SPECIFIC INFORMATION
SAYING THEY HAVE SPENT ABOUT
HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE
COURSE OF THIS YEAR FINANCIALLY
SUPPORTING THE VICTIMS THROUGH
COUNSELING, MEDICAL SERVICES,
FUNERAL COSTS, ETC.
PAM ALSO SAID IT MANY THAT E-
MAIL THEY RECEIVED $8 MILLION
FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE AS THEY CONTINUE
ASSISTING VICTIMS.
ALSO JUST IN THE THE LAST HALF
HOUR OR SO SENATOR BILL NELSON
AND MARCO RUBIO RELEASED A
RESOLUTION FROM THE SENATE
FLOOR PLEDGING CONTINUED
SUPPORT AND HONORING THE
SURVIVORS OF THE SHOOTING.
SO A LOT GOING ON THE FIRST
ANNIVERSARY AS YOU ALL
MENTIONED THE WORSE MASS