Bristol memorial service to be held for victims of Orlando shooting

All are welcome to attend


A memorial service to mourn the 50 victims of the Orlando shooting is to be held in Bristol city centre.

Omar Mateen, a G4S employee, carried out the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history last Saturday night on the LGBT clubbers armed with a rifle and a handgun.

The Pulse nightclub was packed with more than 300 people for a “Latin themed night” when the killer burst in.

The service to commemorate the 50 victims and 53 injured was organised by Bristol Pride’s Daryn Carter and will take place at College Green on Tuesday at 6pm.

Daryn said that everyone had been left “shocked’ and saddened” by the attack.

He said:  “Orlando has a vibrant LGBT community so it’s such a shock for something like this to happen there – especially when the death toll is so high.

“To think people going out to enjoy themselves have been killed just for being themselves – the circumstances are still being investigated but it was clear they were targeted because there were from the LGBT community – it is really sad.”

The memorial service will be one of many throughout the world showing solidarity with Orlando’s LGBT community.