The nightclub shooting that occurred early this morning in Orlando has killed more than 50 people and has been called the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. In response, a number of organizations here have banded together to host two vigils.
At 6pm the Music City Sisters will host a vigil at OutCentral on Church Street. “We need to be together today to mourn, to stand in witness, to love one another” reads a statement from the event Facebook page.
At 8pm the Tennessee Equality Project in coordination with the Office of Mayor Megan Barry has scheduled a vigil at Public Square Park downtown. As well, the mayor has ordered that metro buildings and the Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge to be “lit in a rainbow in a show of love and support for the victims.”
A number of people have said online that they plan to begin at the first vigil and then walk to meet with the second vigil after.
Mayor Megan Barry released the following statement regarding the shootings in Orlando.
There are no words that can begin to express my shock and horror at the mass shooting of a nightclub in Orlando. The level of hatred that would motivate someone to murder so many innocent people is nothing short of pure evil. We must meet that evil with an overwhelming show of love - for all of our fellow Americans and for men and women around the world who daily live in fear of violence simply because of whom they love.
Tonight at 8PM, I will be attending a vigil at Public Square Park to join those in mourning who wish to show their love and support for the victims of the shooting in Orlando, their family, their friends, and the entire LGBT community that needs to know our society will not tolerate hatred or violence.
While we have no reason to believe this is anything but an isolated incident, our Metro Police Department is continuing to review information coming from Orlando and is in close contact with their federal partners and will do what is necessary to protect the public in Nashville.