Investigators were still trying to determine Mateen's motives. A federal hate crimes law bears Shepard's name. The highest profile of these included the murder of Milk, a pioneering gay politician in San Francisco in 1978, and the 1998 murder of Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming at the hands of two men who beat him into a coma while he was tied to a fence. Twenty-year-old James Wesley, of Indiana, had assault rifles, ammunition and chemicals that could be used to make an explosive, according to police, who said there was no evidence of a connection to the Orlando massacre.īefore Sunday, the most prominent incidents of violence against gays claimed one life at a time. In a separate incident Sunday, a heavily armed man was arrested in Southern California even as Mateen's attack was ongoing, telling police he was on his way to attack a gay pride parade. This "is a tragic illustration of the legitimate safety fears that those in our LGBT community live with every day," said Mike Rawlings, the mayor of Dallas, where extra police were assigned to a neighborhood that is a hub of the local gay community.
In several other cities hosting events on Sunday - including block parties in Boston and a festival in Washington - authorities beefed up the police presence. mass shooting to date, occurred amid numerous events nationwide celebrating LGBT Pride Month. The attack on the Pulse nightclub, which killed at least 50 people and was the deadliest U.S.
The gunman, identified as Omar Mateen of Fort Pierce, Florida, told his father he had been disturbed by seeing two men kissing in Miami. Sunday's massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, grimly changed the equation, stirring communal fears and swiftly prompting tighter security at gay pride events. Contributions from generous individuals, foundations, corporations and government entities directly support all of the National Pulse Memorial & Museum design, construction, land acquisition costs, operations, community education programs, and 49 Legacy Scholarships. This is a defining mission and healing initiative that we hope inspires supporters who share our vision and understand the solemn and sacred responsibility to which this community has been entrusted.NEW YORK - The gay, lesbian and transgender community has seen violence before, from Harvey Milk to Matthew Shepard, and an ever-lengthening list of transgender women. This fund is intended to support a memorial that opens hearts, a museum that opens minds, educational programs that open eyes and legacy scholarships that open doors. The Foundation was established to create a sanctuary of hope following the tragic day in American history–Sunday, June 12, 2016–to honor the 49 Angels that were taken, the 68 others who were injured and the countless first responders and healthcare professionals who treated them. The onePULSE Foundation is a 501(c) 3 incorporated by the owner of Pulse nightclub.