Orlando Pulse Club Shooting.

Shooting at a gay club in Orlando, Florida.

Many people inside, barricaded suspect and possible bomb.

Shooter is dead.

My FB news ticker is saying 50 dead. This cant be right?

It's right: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
"Orlando officials say at least 50 dead and 53 injured in the nightclub shooting"
They said it's an act of terrorism

God please don't tell me it's a hate crime please....and IS THAT the amount of people dead? Yo! That's outnumbers many throughout the years!

There has been two shootings so far at almost the same area after what happened to Christina...and now this mass shooting at a nightclub with THAT quantity of casualties? What is going on!

They've now deemed this as the deadliest mass shooting in U.S history.

They're asking for blood donations down there. Any form of support at all should be given to them. This is going to cause such an ugly debate between LGBT-issues and the fact that the gunman is a radical islam. Homosexuality and Islam? Man...and they're releasing last conversations between loved ones who were trapped and killed in them. This hurts my heart.

From what I read it may have been a hostage situation which explains why the perpetrator reached such massive death count, sort of like Seung-Cho when the students were barricaded in classrooms anyway, so he just had to open the door, walk in and shoot all at once.

What the hell is going on in Florida? Has everyone down there gone insane or something? And from reading about this, so far it does look like a hate crime against gays. Apparently the killers Father said it had nothing to do with religion and that his soon would get angry over seeing gay people kissing.

I'm not sure yet and couldn't find any information on if he killed himself or did police kill him?

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

It is now the deadliest mass shooting in America, it has surpassed Cho's body count.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] It it said the police killed him.

liquorvamp wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] It it said the police killed him.

Thanks. And yea, I'd imagine it would be the worst mass shooting. Before now, Virginia Tech held that title. I can't even think of any other shooting/attack other than 9/11 where this large of an amount of people were murdered.

Her son is still missing...oh my heavy heart.

There was an apparent 3 hours hostage standoff.

Interview with survivor of the nightclub.

My heart is heavy.
The debate over this is ugly, people throwing around words and beliefs they have no idea about, and meanwhile we have lost over 50 people down to have fun, and love who they love, killed senselessly. It's 2016. I do not think less of the LGBT community. I love all of them, and this is really saddening. The worse mass shooting in U.S History over hate-crime.
RIP to the victims.

So incredibly sad. The Youtube comment sections are terrifying. So many people in agreement with the murderer, saying the world will be better off without "faggots", saying this guy has found the cure to AIDS, and claiming all Muslims should be killed. It's both heartbreaking and incredibly scary to see how many people think this is okay.

Partially named victims: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Praying for the victims. Such a senseless act of violence.

Thoughts and prayers for the victims and their loved ones. So sad.

Guys, apparently there may be more than one perpetrator during the shooting:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
(This screenshot was taken from Tumblr)

This leaked info may coincide with the initial reaction that it can't just be one person doing the shooting, and also the fact that survivors recount the same story of trying to exit BLOCKED doors - so people on the outside leaving them stuck inside, leaving the shooter easy access to take out more. This just made me shudder.

Remember what they said about Columbine and 3-4 shooters.

Timeline: [source [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

January 2013 - After making "inflammatory comments" implying ties to terrorist organizations, the FBI interviewed Mateen, but closed the investigation after speaking with him twice.

January 2014 - An FBI official says Mateen had contact with a known terrorist, but determined that contact was minimal and that there was no relationship. The investigation was closed.

June 2016 - At a press conference, ATF official says Omar Mateen purchased a handgun and "long gun" within the past week in Florida.

June 12 2016 @ 2:02 AM - At a press conference, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said an officer working at the nightclub responded to reports of shots.

June 12 2016 @ 2:09 AM - Pulse [nightclub] posts message to Facebook "Everyone get out of Pulse and keep running."

June 12 2016 @ 4:10 AM - Scanner traffic indicates that a bomb truck was requested to come to the Pulse nightclub.

June 12 2016 @ 5:05 AM - Approximately 30 hostages were rescued by Orlando Police Dept SWAT "That sound was a controlled explosion by law enforcement."

June 12 2016 @ 5:53 AM - The shooter inside the club is dead.

June 12 2016 @ 9:40 AM - CBS News has identified the gunman as 29 year old Omar Mateen of Port St. Lucie.

June 12 2016 @ 10:20 AM - Mayor Buddy Dyer announces that 50 people have been killed.

June 12 2016 @ 11:54 AM - U.S. Senator Bill Nelson says the shooting is connected to ISIS.

June 12 2016 @ 2:00 PM - President Obama addresses attack "This was an act of terror and an act of hate."

June 12 2016 @ 3:45 PM - Senator Bill Nelson said that the ISIS news agency has issued a statement claiming responsibility for the Pulse nightclub attack, but says the FBI has not confirmed.

June 12 2016 @ 4:50 PM - Authorities begin identifying victims.



A gunman killed 50 people and wounded 53 at a crowded gay nightclub in Orlando early Sunday in the
deadliest mass shooting in American history. [source [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]


Before 2 a.m. Omar Mateen, a resident of Fort Pierce, a city about 120 miles from Orlando, parked his van outside Pulse, a gay nightclub.

2:02 a.m. He entered the club armed with an AR-15-type assault rifle, a handgun and many rounds of ammunition, and opened fire, said John Mina, the Orlando police chief.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]


The gunman went outside at some point after the initial shots were fired, the chief said, then went back inside.

Restrooms - Some patrons hid in restrooms, calling police and texting friends and family for help. At some point, police received word from inside the building that at least 15 people were hiding in a restroom.

Patio - Ray Rivera, 42, a D.J. at the club, was playing reggae music on the patio when the shooting started. “I thought it was firecrackers,” Mr. Rivera said. But the gunfire did not let up. “I saw bodies on the floor, people on the floor everywhere,” he said.

Main entrance - Security was posted at the front entrance, and it is unclear how the gunman entered the club.

Main dance floor - Latin music was playing on the main dance floor. The nightclub, which calls itself “Orlando’s Latin Hotspot,” was holding its weekly “Upscale Latin Saturdays” party with three D.J.s and a midnight show.

DeAngelo Scott, 30, said the club was packed. “Every room I went into was full. I had to squeeze through the main room.” He left the club at 1:58 a.m.

Then police marshaled forces, bringing in a SWAT team and an armored vehicle. At some point, Chief Mina said, there was contact with the gunman inside. “There was some communication, but we are not going to release that right now,” the chief said.

It is unknown, he said, whether the gunman was killing others inside the club as the authorities prepared for a confrontation.

“Any time we have a hostage situation, we’re definitely going to use extreme measures to make sure we have enough personnel on the scene,” Chief Mina said.

3 a.m. The club posted a warning on Facebook.

5 a.m. - The police began an operation to rescue the people trapped inside. They detonated two explosives to distract the gunman. Eleven officers entered the club, and shots were exchanged. Mr. Mateen was killed. One officer was shot in the head, but his Kevlar helmet prevented serious injury, Chief Mina said. At least 30 people were found alive.


source - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Just before 2 a.m.

Omar Mateen, 29, parked his van outside Pulse, a gay nightclub at 1912 S Orange Ave. in Orlando. Some accounts from authorities said he called 9-1-1, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and referenced the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

Reports put about 200 to 300 people in the club when the shooting began. It was Latin Night.

2:02 a.m.

Mateen entered the club’s grounds. He was armed with a .223-caliber AR-15 style rifle, a 9mm handgun and ammunition, Orlando police Chief John Mina said.

An Orlando officer working security at the club responded to gunfire.

The officer got into a “gunfight” with Mateen, police said, during which the shooter went deeper into the club.

From the patio, DJ Ray Rivera heard a series of pops.

People started running out from the club, jumping over the patio fence to escape. “People were screaming, pushing each other out of the way,” he said.

Rivera fled the patio, then looked back into the club through an open doorway. “All I could see was bodies,” he said.

Jeannette McCoy, 37, was dancing with her friend when she heard gunshots. “It was just pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop,” she said. “The shots were continuous.”

Yvens Carrenard, 29, first hid in a storage closet and then an attic-like crawlspace. He caught a glimpse of the shooter firing off rounds in quick succession.

McCoy ran outside, bodies falling around her. She used her crop top to bind the gunshot wound in a bartender’s leg.

“The shots are still going. Pop-pop-pop-pop,” McCoy said. “At times they seemed like they would stop. It was because he was (reloading).”

2:09 a.m.

Pulse published an emergency post to its Facebook page: “Everyone get out of pulse and keep running.”

2:17 a.m.

Brandon Wolf  ‎@bjoewolf  

Omg. Shooting at pulse. We hid in the bathroom. And we can't find our friends.

2:22 a.m.

Some accounts say Mateen called 911 and claimed allegiance to the Islamic State at this point.

THE STANDOFF

For the next few hours, the timeline is unclear.

Police said the incident had turned into a “hostage situation.”

More than 100 Orlando police officers and Orange County sheriff’s deputies rushed to the scene.

Officers used police vehicles to help transport victims to hospitals.

The SWAT team started massing. Armored vehicles were sent to the scene..

Police said they were in contact with Mateen by phone but did not reveal what was said.

Those trapped inside used 911 and social media to ask for help.

3:58 a.m.

Orlando Police
‎@OrlandoPolice  

Shooting at Pulse Nightclub on S Orange. Multiple injuries. Stay away from area.

Just before 5 a.m.

Police commanders decided to storm the club.

They used explosive devices to distract and disorient Mateen.

5:05 a.m.

Orlando Police
‎@OrlandoPolice  

That sound was a controlled explosion by law enforcement. Please avoid reporting inaccuracies at this time.

An armored BearCat vehicle punched through the club’s wall as SWAT officers set out to rescue the hostages.

Another tactical team engaged Mateen in a firefight at the club’s entrance.

Mateen was killed in the exchange. One of his rounds struck a SWAT officer in his Kevlar helmet; the helmet saved the officer’s life.

5:53 a.m.

Orlando police announced via Twitter that the shooter is dead.

Police were initially worried he may have had an explosive device. Afterward, they scoured the club for explosive devices using robots and an explosive-sniffing dog. Police did not say whether they found anything.

Trauma surgeons hurried to treat the wounded at Orlando Regional Medical Center, just half a mile from the club.

10:20 a.m.

Four hours later, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer stepped in front of the microphone. Police had finished sweeping the club, he said. Officials said 53 were wounded. Fifty were dead.


source - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

24 gunshots heard in above video


source - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

source - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Falcolus wrote:

Remember what they said about Columbine and 3-4 shooters.

True. though some people are convinced survivors who report this on air end up getting cut halfway during broadcast

Thank you very much [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]!

Quote :

Then police marshaled forces, bringing in a SWAT team and an armored vehicle. At some point, Chief Mina said, there was contact with the gunman inside. “There was some communication, but we are not going to release that right now,” the chief said.

It is unknown, he said, whether the gunman was killing others inside the club as the authorities prepared for a confrontation.

That's awful. There is so much hate in the world.I hope everybody on this site, your friends and families are okay.

liquorvamp wrote:

My heart is heavy.
The debate over this is ugly, people throwing around words and beliefs they have no idea about, and meanwhile we have lost over 50 people down to have fun, and love who they love, killed senselessly. It's 2016. I do not think less of the LGBT community. I love all of them, and this is really saddening. The worse mass shooting in U.S History over hate-crime.
RIP to the victims.

pbc wrote:

So incredibly sad. The Youtube comment sections are terrifying. So many people in agreement with the murderer, saying the world will be better off without "faggots", saying this guy has found the cure to AIDS, and claiming all Muslims should be killed. It's both heartbreaking and incredibly scary to see how many people think this is okay.

I agree with all of this. Humans can be such a bizarre species.

Update:

Some victim names have been released. if you know anyone who needs utmost support please give and share it amongst everyone.



[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

New editions:

Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old

Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old

Cory James Connell, 21 years old

Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old

Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old

Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old

Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25 years old

Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old

Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old

Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old

Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24 years old

Jean C. Nives Rodriguez, 27 years old

Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 years old

Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49 years old

Yilmary Rodriguez Sulivan, 24 years old

Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old

Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28 years old

Frank Hernandez, 27 years old

Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old


[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Considering the amount of casualties, giving out love to our LGBT community and our fellow latin/hispanic/puerto rican brothers and sisters.

Snapchat video shared by Brian Alvear, brother of Amanda Alvear, victim of the nightclub shooting.
This were her videos she took during the night, where gunshots could be heard in the last clip:

Fascinating.  I'm guessing she died?  She's not on the list, and the media simply refers to her as a "victim", which couldn't be more vague.

Oh, yes, her Facebook is now a memorial page.  Interesting how her cover picture said "better things are coming", but got cropped to just say "things are coming".  I suppose that was true.

Anyway, I wonder what it's like for the family.  It's amazing that presumably her last moments were recorded on her phone, and now on YouTube.  That just isn't something that happens often.

QuestionMarkKid wrote:

Fascinating. I'm guessing she died? She's not on the list, and the media simply refers to her as a "victim", which couldn't be more vague.

Oh, yes, her Facebook is now a memorial page. Interesting how her cover picture said "better things are coming", but got cropped to just say "things are coming". I suppose that was true.

Anyway, I wonder what it's like for the family. It's amazing that presumably her last moments were recorded on her phone, and now on YouTube. That just isn't something that happens often.

yes she was killed, her name is on the list.
and at this era with snapchat and everything, most cases of murders or deaths always end up on social media which is yeah, fascinating. but tragic.

Pretty good podcast I listen to, discussing the shooting and referencing Columbine, guns, suicide, mass shooting, etc.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The debate over this shooting as I have mentioned above is extremely messy. People are desperately looking for the root to blame. Is it the access to guns? Is it the radical islam beliefs to breed homophobia? etc etc... a good listen.
But mind you this guy has a pretty biased view meaning he's kinda defending the fact that gun control can't be implemented or helped, he's very adamant that it's not guns to be blamed. He goes a full circle on gun-related crimes and focusing on other factors that cause it. He makes a good point that a couple of mass shootings depend on if the assault rifles were retrieved legally or not, and that it's gonna be really hard to disarm americans with their guns.

Greg Zanis (the man who made the Columbine crosses) makes crosses for Orlando victims.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

This guy had some serious hatred towards gays. He frequented the club this year (probably was casing it out).

Planned it all out in advance. I think he just went with the ISIS thing just for his own humor. Why the hell not type of thing.

Sane One wrote:

This guy had some serious hatred towards gays. He frequented the club this year (probably was casing it out).

Planned it all out in advance. I think he just went with the ISIS thing just for his own humor. Why the hell not type of thing.

I absolutely agree with you.

Jenn wrote:

Greg Zanis (the man who made the Columbine crosses) makes crosses for Orlando victims.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Interesting to see that this time he doesn't appear to have made the shooter one.

Sane One wrote:

This guy had some serious hatred towards gays. He frequented the club this year (probably was casing it out).

Planned it all out in advance. I think he just went with the ISIS thing just for his own humor. Why the hell not type of thing.

I read that he was considering other places too (such as Disney World). I think he mainly just wanted to target the place that would hold the most people and wouldn't be too hard to attack.
The media is making yet another mistake... Interviewing childhood friends, neighbors, posting private photographs, discussing family background, etc. There are some people in front of the computer screen/TV watching it and considering doing something similar to get revenge and world attention at the same time.

Draw_It_White wrote:

Interesting to see that this time he doesn't appear to have made the shooter one.

Right? Can we talk about this for one second? It's only a matter of time till someone goes so what makes him different from E&D? What the boys did was almost as close to hometown terror, they were hateful too, etc, and they got crosses because they were troubled kids but this guy, because he wasn't a bullied teen? Cause he was a grown man, muslim, homophobic, killed more?

Vii wrote:

I read that he was considering other places too (such as Disney World). I think he mainly just wanted to target the place that would hold the most people and wouldn't be too hard to attack.
The media is making yet another mistake... Interviewing childhood friends, neighbors, posting private photographs, discussing family background, etc. There are some people in front of the computer screen/TV watching it and considering doing something similar to get revenge and world attention at the same time.

Yeah. They wanna dig real deep into his roots because of the whole Islam thing. They wanna paint a picture of him for the rest of us which is cringeworhty. The whole radicalism thing is through the roof. It's a battle of whether his homophobia is tied to his beliefs or whether he was just groomed to be against it thus causing this hate crime. And now that this Disney-World plot came in, did he just wanna cause a mass shooting?
Gosh it's morbid that the best way to get off and get attention is picking up a gun and killing.

For Immediate Distribution: June 20, 2016

Investigative Update Regarding Pulse Nightclub Shooting

ORLANDO – In order to provide an update on the progress of the investigation into the Pulse nightclub shooting, the FBI is releasing an excerpt from the timeline of events inside the Pulse nightclub during the early morning hours of Sunday, June 12, 2016. Out of respect for the victims of this horrific tragedy, law enforcement will not be releasing audio of the shooter’s 911 calls at this time, nor will law enforcement be releasing audio or transcripts of the calls made by victims at the Pulse nightclub during the incident. Furthermore, the name of the shooter and that of the person/group to whom he pledged allegiance are omitted.

The following is based on Orlando Police Department (OPD) radio communication (times are approximate):

2:02 a.m.: OPD call transmitted multiple shots fired at Pulse nightclub.

2:04a.m.: Additional OPD officers arrived on scene.

2:08 a.m.: Officers from various law enforcement agencies made entrance to Pulse and engaged the shooter.

2:18 a.m.: OPD S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons & Tactics) initiated a full call-out.

2:35 a.m.: Shooter contacted a 911 operator from inside Pulse. The call lasted approximately 50 seconds, the details of which are set out below:
Orlando Police Dispatcher (OD) Shooter (OM)
OD: Emergency 911, this is being recorded.
OM: In the name of God the Merciful, the beneficial [in Arabic] OD: What?
OM: Praise be to God, and prayers as well as peace be upon the prophet of God [in Arabic]. I let you know, I’m in Orlando and I did the shootings.
OD: What’s your name? OM: My name is I pledge of allegiance to [omitted]. OD: Ok, What’s your name?
OM: I pledge allegiance to [omitted] may God protect him [in Arabic], on behalf of [omitted].
OD: Alright, where are you at?
OM: In Orlando.
OD: Where in Orlando?
[End of call.]

(Shortly thereafter, the shooter engaged in three conversations with OPD’s Crisis Negotiation Team.)

2:48 a.m.: First crisis negotiation call occurred lasting approximately nine minutes.

3:03 a.m.: Second crisis negotiation call occurred lasting approximately 16 minutes.

3:24 a.m.: Third crisis negotiation call occurred lasting approximately three minutes.

In these calls, the shooter, who identified himself as an Islamic soldier, told the crisis negotiator that he was the person who pledged his allegiance to [omitted], and told the negotiator to tell America to stop bombing Syria and Iraq and that is why he was “out here right now.” When the crisis negotiator asked the shooter what he had done, the shooter stated, “No, you already know what I did.” The shooter continued, stating, “There is some vehicle outside that has some bombs, just to let you know. You people are gonna get it, and I’m gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid.” Later in the call with the crisis negotiator, the shooter stated that he had a vest, and further described it as the kind they “used in France.” The shooter later stated, “In the next few days, you’re going to see more of this type of action going on.” The shooter hung up and multiple attempts to get in touch with him were unsuccessful.

4:21 a.m.: OPD pulled an air conditioning unit out of a Pulse dressing room window for victims to evacuate.
(While the FBI will not be releasing transcripts of OPD communication with victims, significant information obtained from those victims allowed OPD to gain knowledge of the situation inside Pulse.)

4:29 a.m.: As victims were being rescued, they told OPD the shooter said he was going to put four vests with bombs on victims within 15 minutes.
(An immediate search of the shooter’s vehicle on scene and inside Pulse ultimately revealed no vest or improvised explosive device.)

5:02 a.m.: OPD SWAT and OCSO Hazardous Device Team began to breach wall with explosive charge and armored vehicle to make entry.

5:14 a.m.: OPD radio communication stated that shots were fired.

5:15 a.m.: OPD radio communication stated that OPD engaged the suspect and the suspect was reported down.

Based on OPD radio communications, there were no reports of shots being fired inside Pulse between the initial exchange of gunfire between responding officers and shooter, and the time of the final breach. During this time, the shooter communicated with an OPD 911 operator and an OPD crisis negotiator, and OPD radio communications reported that victims were being rescued.

liquorvamp wrote:

Draw_It_White wrote:

Interesting to see that this time he doesn't appear to have made the shooter one.

Right? Can we talk about this for one second? It's only a matter of time till someone goes so what makes him different from E&D? What the boys did was almost as close to hometown terror, they were hateful too, etc, and they got crosses because they were troubled kids but this guy, because he wasn't a bullied teen? Cause he was a grown man, muslim, homophobic, killed more?

I'm guessing he hasn't done any for the shooters since Columbine (not 100% sure on this) due to the trouble it caused when Al started chopping down Eric & Dylan's crosses.

I called and believed Mateen was a closeted homosexual.

liquorvamp wrote:

Draw_It_White wrote:

Interesting to see that this time he doesn't appear to have made the shooter one.

Right? Can we talk about this for one second? It's only a matter of time till someone goes so what makes him different from E&D? What the boys did was almost as close to hometown terror, they were hateful too, etc, and they got crosses because they were troubled kids but this guy, because he wasn't a bullied teen? Cause he was a grown man, muslim, homophobic, killed more?

I think its because this guy was motivated by a strong religious ideology while E &D had none.
Plus everyone is on edge fearing more terrorist attacks because there has been several major ones in the last 8 months.

PaintItBlack wrote:

liquorvamp wrote:

Draw_It_White wrote:

Interesting to see that this time he doesn't appear to have made the shooter one.

Right? Can we talk about this for one second? It's only a matter of time till someone goes so what makes him different from E&D? What the boys did was almost as close to hometown terror, they were hateful too, etc, and they got crosses because they were troubled kids but this guy, because he wasn't a bullied teen? Cause he was a grown man, muslim, homophobic, killed more?

I think its because this guy was motivated by a strong religious ideology while E &D had none.
Plus everyone is on edge fearing more terrorist attacks because there has been several major ones in the last 8 months.

Apparently he believed in god but wasn't a very religious person. It looks more like he was close to his culture and really was pissed at America for attacking his origin country (which he admitted was a reason) or wanted to go for a rampage just because and needed an excuse. It seems like he was very disturbed and violent for an long time. This country clearly needs a new game plan for situations like this. Whatever they're doing hasn't been working too well. Over a 100 got shot (multiple times) this time because the perpetrator had plenty of time to do that.

Greg Zanis has made crosses for each victim, like how he did with the Columbine victims.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

edit: didn't see Jenn's post above hehe

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

A survivor of the June 2016 mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, which left 49 victims dead, now says he has found Christ and is no longer gay.

"I should have been number 50!," Luis Javier Ruiz said in a message posted to Facebook. "Going through old pictures of the night of Pulse, I remember my struggles of perversion, heavy drinking to drown out everything and having promiscuous sex that led to HIV. My struggles were real! The enemy had its grip, and now God has taken me from that moment and has given me Christ."

Ruiz shared this revelation just ahead of the Freedom March, which will be held on May 5 in Washington, D.C. The event bills itself as a "celebration of freedom from homosexuality and transgenderism" and is organized by Voice of the Voiceless, a religious group whose mission is "to defend the rights of former homosexuals, individuals with unwanted same-sex attraction, and their families," according to its website.

Ruiz, who was featured in a social media post for the Freedom March above the words "Homosexuals Can Change!," is expected to attend this weekend's event along with others "celebrating freedom from homosexual/transgender lifestyles," according to the Freedom March's Facebook page.

Neither Ruiz nor a representative from Voice of the Voiceless immediately responded to NBC News' request for comment.

The controversial practice of trying to change one's sexual orientation or gender identity is often referred to as "conversion therapy." A long list of health organizations have spoken out against the medically debunked practice, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Association of School Psychologists, the American Psychoanalytic Association and the American Counseling Association.

There is currently a nationwide effort to ban gay conversion therapy for minors. In 2012, California become the first state to do so, and now a total of 10 states and Washington, D.C. have outlawed the practice for minors, according to LGBTQ think tank Movement Advancement Project.




Well that is a strange turn of events. So he apparently gets the "GAY" scared out of him,  and is now a poster boy for a Freedom March that is a pretty much just a Anti GAY march.  

ShadowedGoddess wrote:

"I should have been number 50!,"

Sounds like he has survivor's guilt.