Friends and family pay tribute to the clubgoers who died in the worst mass shooting in American history

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The identities of the Orlando massacre victims have begun to emerge, beginning a tally that officials said could take some time to complete.

Hundreds of family members and friends gathered in downtown hotels and hospitals waiting to know whether their loved ones were among the living or dead.

Orlando attack victims: the lives cut short in America's deadliest shooting Read more

At least one state police officer, who wished to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak with the media, told the Guardian he believed it would take at least several more days to identify all the victims of the shooting.

Among those confirmed dead were young men and women who had just begun careers, moved to Florida to push forward in careers, or established themselves in the city known for international travel, theme parks and vacations.

Edward Sotomayor, 34

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Edward Sotomayor, a travel agent who was described as ‘super bright’ by his employer. Photograph: Handout/Reuters

“He was super bright,” said Al Ferguson, owner of Al and Chuck Travel, an agency focused on booking vacations for gay men, about his former employee, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The 34-year-old worked as a brand manager, and had invited Ferguson to come to the club that evening, the newspaper reported.

'He's coming. I'm gonna die': son's text to mother reveals Orlando shooting terror Read more

Ferguson told the Sentinel that Sotomayor, knowing the perils that gay, lesbian and transgender travelers could face because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, didn’t shy away from exploring.

“What I will say, over and over again, was he was a person who said, ‘We cannot be afraid,’” Ferguson told the Sentinel. “I know his friends are going to be the exact same way … We are not going to be afraid.”

Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22

Facebook Twitter Pinterest An undated photo from the Instagram account of Juan Ramon Guerrero. Photograph: Handout/Reuters

Guerrero, 22, had only told his family he was gay before the New Year, his cousin told the Associated Press.

“He was never the type to go out to parties, would rather stay home and care for his niece and nephew,” his cousin Robert Guerrero said.

He said Guerrero was a telemarketer, and recently began attending school at the University of Central Florida. “He was always this amazing person … he was like a big brother to me.”

On Sunday morning, after learning that so many people had died at the nightclub that his cousin had gone to once in a while, Robert Guerrero started to become concerned. Later in the day, his fears were realized when the family learned that Guerrero was identified as one of the victims.

Stanley Almodovar, 23

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Stanley Almodovar, one of the victims of the shooting. Photograph: Handout/Reuters

Almodovar, 23, who worked as a pharmacy technician, was described as “kind but sassy” by a friend, Ivelisse Santiago, according to the Washington Post. She said he defended her when she fell down dancing at a club. “He was so proud of who he was,” she told the newspaper.

Almodovar’s mother, Rosalie Ramos, was awakened by a call at 2am on Sunday telling her something had happened. She told the Sentinel her son posted a Snapchat video of himself singing and laughing on his way to Pulse nightclub.

“I wish I had that [video] to remember him forever,” she told the newspaper.



Eric Ortiz-Rivera, 36

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Eric Ortiz-Rivera 36, who died in the Orlando shootings. Photograph: Facebook

Ortiz-Rivera, 36, a merchandiser for Toys “R” Us, was said to have moved to Florida from Puerto Rico to start a career.

“Eric was always willing to help everybody,” Abismel Colon Gomez, his roommate in Orlando, told the Sentinel. “He sacrificed himself a lot for his family … He loved his brother, and he was always being generous.”

Luis S Vielma, 22

Vielma, 22, reportedly lived in nearby Sanford. He worked on the Harry Potter ride at the Universal theme park, according to JK Rowling.

His Facebook profile showed him pictured with others at Disney World, with the caption: “True friends who become family.”

High school friend Eddi Anderson told the Tampa Bay Times that Vielma was known for his pleasant attitude and warm demeanor.

Josh Boesch, who worked with Vielma at Universal, told the Orlando Sentinel: “He was always a friend you could call. He was always open and available.”

Vielma “just wanted to make people smile”, another co-worker, Olga Glomba, said.

Kimberly Morris, 37

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Kimberly Morris. Photograph: Facebook

Morris, 37, moved to Orlando just a few months ago and had taken a job at Pulse nightclub as a bouncer, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

“She was so excited,” ex-girlfriend Starr Shelton told the newspaper. “She’d just started working there and told me how she was thrilled to get more involved in the LGBT community there.”

Friends described Morris as a kind, sweet person.

Narvell Benning met Morris when they were in college at Post University in Waterbury, Connecticut, where Benning said they both played basketball.

“I can’t think of a time when I did not see a smile on her face,” Benning told the Sentinel. “I’m so thankful of the good memories I have of her. This is just unreal.”

Peter O Gonzalez-Cruz, 22

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Peter O Gonzalez-Cruz Photograph: Facebook

Gonzalez-Cruz, 22, attended high school in New Jersey until 2013 and was working at UPS in Orlando, according to his Facebook page. He spoke both English and Spanish and had lived in Africa.

His cousins posted messages on Twitter after learning of his death, the Sentinel reported. “Rest in peace to my wonderful cousin,” read one. “May you rest easy in Heaven,” read another.

A friend on Facebook said Gonzalez-Cruz was known as Peter Ommy, the name relatives and friends used on social media.

Eddie Justice, 30

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Eddie Jamoldroy Justice. Photograph: Facebook

Justice, 30, was an accountant. He texted his mother from the club’s bathroom, telling her to call police.

His cousin, Millie Ortiz, said he could “walk in and the room would light up”. She said he had been a “gentle soul” who would “give you the shirt off his back” and was “very upfront and outspoken and lived life to the fullest without any regrets”.

Amanda Alvear, 25

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Amanda Alvear, a nursing student at the University of South Florida. Photograph: Facebook

Alvear, 25, from Davenport, Florida, was a nursing student at the University of South Florida who had posted a Snapchat video of her friends in Pulse – footage which appears to end abruptly with the noise of gunfire.

Her brother, Brian Alvear, told local newspaper the Ledger that he believed Amanda had been among the hostages taken by Mateen. “A lot of hostages were in the bathroom, last I heard that’s where she was,” he said.

Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mercedez Marisol Flores. Photograph: Facebook

Flores lived in Davenport, a small town about 45 minutes south of Orlando. She worked at Target there, during the week.

On Saturday night, Flores had gone to Pulse with friends, including fellow victim Amanda Alvear. She grew up in the Queens borough of New York City, before studying at Valencia community college in Orlando.

Miguel Honorato, 30

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Miguel Honorato. Photograph: Facebook

Honorato, from Apopka, Florida, had been in the club with three friends, all of whom made it home safe. But Honorato, who had a wife and three children, did not. One of his eight siblings, Jose, told local media Miguel owned a Mexican restaurant with their parents.

Martin Benitez Torres, 33

Martin Benitez Torres. Photograph: Facebook

Torres was from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and had recently arrived in Orlando to visit family. On his Facebook page, he posted videos of himself and friends around the city on the day of the shooting, and noted how beautiful he found Orlando.

In Puerto Rico he studied at the Ana G Méndez University System in San Juan. In the moments after the shooting his friends posted urgent messages to his profile, such as, “please i need your number it’s urgent call me I left my number inbox”.

Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20

Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo. Photograph: Handout/Reuters

Ocasio-Capo was a dancer, and worked at a Starbucks in Kissimmee, about half an hour south of Orlando.

Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Shane Evan Tomlinson. Photograph: Facebook

Tomlinson was the lead singer in an Orlando band called Frequency.

According the band’s Twitter account, they performed at the Blue Martini Lounge in Orlando at 8pm on Saturday night, before the shooting at Pulse.

Previously Tomlinson had studied at East Carolina State University, and moved to Orlando about four years ago.

Enrique L Rios Jr, 25



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Enrique L Rios Jr. Photograph: Facebook

Rios lived in Brooklyn, New York, and was visiting Orlando on vacation.

In an appeal for help to return her son’s body to New York, his mother, Gertrude, wrote on a crowdfunding page: “My family is torn apart and all I would like is to have my son with me so he can have the funeral he deserves. My son was a good kid. He was just having a great time on his vacation, until this deranged man came in and shot the place up.”



Rios studied social work at St Francis College and worked at True Care Home Health Care.

On Facebook, his grandmother Cynthia Perez wrote of the news of his death: “WHEN IS IT GOING TO BE ENOUGH?”

Anthony Luis Laureano Disla, 25

Anthony Luis Laureano Disla. Photograph: Facebook

Disla was born in Puerto Rico. He had studied to become a teacher at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, and graduated in 2010.

Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, also known as Silva Gilbert. Photograph: Facebook

Menendez had gone to Pulse with his best friend, Peter “Ommy” Cruz, who was also killed in the massacre. Menendez came from Manati, Puerto Rico, to study healthcare management at Ana G Mendez University in Orlando. He worked at a Speedway store.

Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Deonka Deidra Drayton. Photograph: Facebook

Drayton was known to friends and family as Dee Dee. She worked at Pulse, according to her aunt, Patricia Drayton Banks: “My neice (sic) ... was killed in this horrible tragedy,” Banks wrote on Facebook. “Senseless. She was at work !!! R.I.P Dee Dee. You know this Auntie will miss you.”

Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40



Jorge-Reyes worked as a supervisor at the Gucci store in Orlando. He grew up in Guayama, Puerto Rico, and studied at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón.

Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35

Jean Carlos Mendez Perez. Photograph: Facebook

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37

Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon. Photograph: Facebook





Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35



Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado. Photograph: Facebook

Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, also known as Jimmy De Jesus. Photograph: Facebook

Velazquez was from Puerto Rico, and traveled the world as a professional Jíbaro dancer (Jíbaro is a traditional Puerto Rican folk dance).

According to the Orlando Weekly, a friend said that Velazquez was with two other friends at Pulse, where the dancer was pushed against a wall by the shooter, Omar Mateen. His friends escaped, and did not see Velazquez again.

Cory James Connell, 21

Cory James Connell. Photograph: Facebook

Connell’s family and friends remembered him online as “the greatest friend” with a “bright shining smile”.

His brother, Ryan, wrote on Facebook: “So.. we have been informed that Cory Connell is no longer with us. The superhero of our family! A family man through and through. The world lost an amazing soul.”

Brandon Powers, a friend of Connell’s, wrote: “We were so close freshman year of high school and after I moved I let distance get the best of us and I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

The College Park Community newspaper, a small publication in the Orlando area, set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the Connell family’s expenses.

Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Oscar A Aracena-Montero. Photograph: Facebook

Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Simon Adrian Carillo Fernandez. Photograph: Facebook

Luis Daniel Conde, 39

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Luis Daniel Conde. Photograph: Facebook

Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Jason Benjamin Josaphat. Photograph: Facebook

Darryl Roman Burt II, 29



Darryl Roman Burt II. Photograph: Jacksonville Jaycees

City authorities in Orlando also added the following names to the list of victims:

