The city of Orlando is moving forward with plans to create a memorial on the site of the Pulse nightclub, where 49 people were massacred seven years ago.
City leaders agreed on Monday night to purchase the property for 2 million (€1.8 million).
Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer said they plan a collaborative approach, working with families of the victims to create the memorial.
On June 12th, 2016, Omar Mateen opened fire in the gay nightclub in the Florida city, killing 49 people and injuring another 53.
Advertisement— Pulse Orlando (@pulseorlando) July 10, 2023
At the time, it was the worst mass shooting in modern US history. But that number was passed the following year when 58 people were killed and more than 850 others injured among a crowd of 22,000 at a country music festival in Las Vegas.
A Swat team killed Mateen, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, following a stand-off.
Plans to build the memorial have been in the works for years, but the non-profit onePulse Foundation announced earlier this year that it was scaling back plans for a 100 million dollar (£82 million) memorial following fundraising challenges.
The building still stands, surrounded by a temporary display that honours the victims.
“We look forward to being a part of the discussion with the City of Orlando as this moves forward,” a statement from the onePulse Foundation said.
