Darren Soto: “7 years ago this week, on June 12, 2016, our happy town of Orlando was the site of an act of gun violence and terrorism.…”

“7 years ago this week, on June 12, 2016, our happy town of Orlando was the site of an act of gun violence and terrorism. We lost 49 angels and 53 were injured at the Pulse nightclub shooting. While that was a terrible and violent act, we will always remember those we lost. We also came together to reject hate and to speak to those across the Nation about both preventing gun violence, about LGBTQ rights, and about making sure that we have love define our region. For the 49 angels we lost and the 53 who were injured, the first responders, their families, and so many others in the Orlando community, I ask for a moment of silence. ____________________”