A newly surfaced photo from the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando has reignited outrage and calls for investigations. The image, shared by Zach Blair of Victims First, shows a refrigerator blocking an exit door from one of Pulse’s kitchenette areas. Blair believes the photo should prompt new civil and criminal investigations into the city and club ownership. The tragic night of June 12, 2016, when Omar Mateen killed 49 people in the deadliest targeted attack on LGBTQ people in U.S. history, left survivors and families scarred. The new image confirms text messages sent by Orlando Fire Marshal Tammy Hughes shortly after the shooting, where she described the club owner blocking an exit with a coke machine.
Survivor Jose Diaz Ubiles previously recounted how he and Luis Omar Ocasio Capo were trapped in the room shown, unable to move the refrigerator to escape. Carmen, Capo’s mother, believes her son could have been saved if the exit had been clear. Chris Hansen, another survivor, condemned the city’s delayed release of evidence, saying survivors and families were left in the dark about the full extent of what happened. Orlando Torres, trapped in a bathroom for hours, called it “unfortunate and illegal” that blocked exits may have cost lives. Orlando State Attorney Monique Worrell has promised a fresh review to determine if additional investigations are warranted.
However, Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan, who once raised concerns about the club’s safety, acknowledged past investigations determined the shooter was solely responsible. The city defended withholding photos due to Florida laws prohibiting the release of images showing victims’ bodies, but Blair dismissed this justification, noting other graphic photos were previously accessible. The group Pulse Families and Survivors for Justice is demanding a comprehensive investigation into code violations and unpermitted renovations at Pulse. The resilience of survivors and the push for truth ensures that lessons are learned and no lives are lost in vain.
