ORLANDO, Fla. — The city of Orlando’s plans to buy the Pulse property have prompted mixed reactions from survivors of the 2016 shooting and the families of Pulse victims. 

While some disagree with the plan, others urged the city to make the purchase and see it as a step towards progress in seeing a permanent memorial become a reality.

What You Need To Know

  • The city of Orlando’s plans to buy the Pulse property have prompted mixed reactions from Pulse survivors and the family of Pulse victims

  • Mayor Buddy Dyer announced the $2 million purchase Wednesday

  • While some say they disagree with the plan, others are urging the city to make the purchase

When Orlando Torres walks past the back of the Pulse nightclub building, he said he remembers the hours he spent hiding in a bathroom on June 12, 2016, hoping the shooter wouldn’t take his life. 

He was in the part of the building where Orlando Police eventually broke a hole through the wall and pulled him and others out of the club. Torres said, however the city decides to move forward with a permanent memorial, a section of that part of the building needs to be part of it.

“If they do a new building, they should keep this wall, because this is history. This is the ending. This was the ending to get whoever was alive out still to save them,” said Torres.

Torres said he comes to the interim memorial not only to reflect on his survival, but also to remember those who didn’t survive. He said the city's purchase of the property is a positive step after years of waiting.

“It’s too long — seven years, going on eight years and who knows, it could be 10 years — I want to see this up before I pass away, because I’m one of the survivors and I hate that if I pass away and this has not been completed. It’s disheartening,” he said.  “And I’m just glad the city has listened to the families and the survivors and purchased this property.”

But not everyone close to the Pulse tragedy agrees this was the best way forward. Christine Leinonen lost her only son, Drew, in the Pulse shooting. 

Instead of the city, she said she would like victims’ families to control how the memorial is designed and built — including a design that reflects each of the 49 lives lost.

“We see them as a number, 49, but they don’t lose their individuality,” said Leinonen. “And that way every family would have ownership in their unique part of the memorial.”

Torres, though, says he believes the city’s purchase of the property will ensure that those lives lost at the site will be remembered there, and not somewhere else.

“It’s 49 souls, their souls left from here ... respect for the souls because we’re here to pray and memorialize them,” he said.

Orlando Commissioner Patth Sheehan said she supported the plan to purchase the Pulse property, but didn't know what the end result would be for a future memorial.

"Two million dollars is a reasonable offer, offer and price for peace," she said. "This has been a sore and a wound on the LGBTQ+ community and many people in this community for a long time."

"That building is very compromised at this poin5t in time," she added. "Nothing has happened to it in seven years. There's holes in it — I don't know what is going to happen."

Dyer likewise said he wasn't sure what form a permanent Pulse memorial would take.

"The design that was originally contemplated by the OnePulse Foundation has the building remaining there, changed in some ways," he said. "I don't know what approach we will take."

Once the purchase has been completed, Dyer said "we want to step back and decide what is the best approach to ensure we build that memorial in a way to honor these survivors and the families of the victims."