400 people hold candlelight vigil for Orlando shooting victims at Hong Lim Park

SINGAPORE – 400 people gathered at Hong Lim Park today (June 14) for a candlelight vigil held for the victims of the shooting at the nightclub in Orlando.

The vigil, which was organised by Nicholas Lim, the founder of GLBT Voices Singapore, an online Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, expressed surprise at the large turnout, saying in a Facebook post that the event had only been planned on Monday afternoon.

He added: “Tonight we show that in times of tragedy, people come together in the name of love, never hate”. 

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

AFP, The Straits Times

The tragedy, which has been described as the deadliest mass shooting in US history, occurred when shooter Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 at Pulse, a prominent gay nightspot in Florida on Sunday. 

According to The Straits Times, the group at the park sang songs such as ‘Heal The World’ by singer Michael Jackson.

Marketing director Tracy Tan, 49, told The Straits Times that she decided to attend the vigil to “grieve and to mourn the pointless and tragic loss of lives”. 

Orlando death toll revised to 49 plus shooter

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters

See also: ‘Mommy I love you’ – text messages from a son to his mum during Orlando shooting

See also: Orlando shooter was a homophobe and wife beater: Reports

See also: FBI ‘highly confident’ Orlando gunman was ‘radicalized’

prabukm@sph.com.sg