Pulse massacre survivor voices safety concerns ahead of proposed nightclub walkthrough | FOX 35 Orlando
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Pulse massacre survivor voices safety concerns ahead of proposed nightclub walkthrough

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Published  April 2, 2025 6:53am EDT
Orange County
FOX 35 Orlando

A return to Pulse nightclub

The city of Orlando will allow family members of victims and survivors of the Pulse nightclub shooting to walk through the now vacant building, but some have concerns that the building isn’t structurally sound after the mass shooting on June 12, 2016. With previous unpermitted building work, damage to the walls and roof from SWAT trying to gain access, and years of decay, Darelis Torres said she is nervous the club could collapse.

The Brief

    • The city of Orlando will allow family members of victims and survivors of the Pulse nightclub shooting to walk through the now vacant building, but some, like survivor, Darelis Torres, have concerns that the building isn’t structurally sound after the mass shooting on June 12, 2016.
    •  With previous unpermitted building work, damage to the walls and roof from SWAT trying to gain access, and years of decay, Torres said she is nervous the club could collapse.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The city of Orlando will allow family members of victims and survivors of the Pulse nightclub shooting to walk through the now, vacant building, but some have concerns.

The backstory:

Darelis Torres is worried the building isn’t structurally sound after the mass shooting on June 12, 2016.  

It took Torres a few seconds to realize it was gunfire. Bullets whizzed past her inside Pulse nightclub. "Everything happened so fast," Torres recalled. "In the beginning, I thought it was music."

The chaos separated her from her friend, Jonathan Camuy. Camuy died that night – along with 48 others. "Everybody that came in contact with him knew that he would have a smile that would light up the room," Torres said. "I can't believe it's about to be 10 years."

Concerns mount over Pulse building's safety

Latest developments:

Nearly one decade since the massacre, the City of Orlando is proposing a walkthrough of the old club. Not much has changed since that night, which is what worries Torres.

With previous unpermitted building work, damage to the walls and roof from SWAT trying to gain access, and years of decay, she is nervous the club could collapse.

'We're never going to heal that'

What they're saying:

"We already carry the psychological wounds of Pulse every day; that's something that, you, know, we live with it. We're never going to heal that," said Torres. "I don't want to add more to that."

Torres isn’t fully against going inside. Much of that night is a blur, she said, and going back could fill in some of the blanks. She just wants to make sure the building has been inspected and is safe.

The city has not addressed safety concerns, but according to a news release, this would be the only chance to go inside the building before it’s torn down for a permanent memorial.

"Do you just live with not going in and then just live the rest of your life, wandering again with possible scenarios like I’ve been the last nine years?" Torres asked. "We will never heal Pulse; that's just that's just how it is."

What's next:

The site visit is still in the planning phase. According to the city, they are aiming for the week of June 9. It would be a private visit for survivors and family of those killed.

How to visit the Pulse nightclub site

Dig deeper:

Survivors and/or family members of victims can register to be part of the site visit by clicking here.

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The Source: This story was written based on interviews conducted by FOX 35's Hannah Mackenzie and details provided about the club walk-through from the City of Orlando.  

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