Orlando Police Chief John Mina (C), law enforcement and local community leaders speak during a press conference June 12, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. 50 people are reported dead and 53 were injured at a mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in what is now the worst mass shooting in US history. The suspected shooter, Omar Mateen, was shot and killed by police. PHOTO: REUTERS
By Sunday night, his profile was altered to "Remember Luis Vielma" after police confirmed he was among 50 people killed in the deadliest mass shooting in US history.
Deadly rampage: Orlando hit by worst shooting in US history
As authorities frantically tried to notify all the relatives, the Orlando Police Department began publishing the names of victims on a city website on Sunday afternoon.
Among them was Vielma, who worked part-time as a rides attendant at the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey theme park ride, while studying physical therapy at Seminole State College, according to his Facebook profile.
Others included Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34, Stanley Almodovar III, 23, Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20, Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22, Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36, and Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22.
Police killed the gunman, who was identified as Omar Mateen, 29, a New York-born Florida resident and US citizen who was the son of immigrants from Afghanistan, and officials were probing evidence suggesting the attack may have been inspired by Islamic State militants.
The sheer number of deaths appeared to overwhelm officials in Orlando, a city of 270,000 people. Orlando Police asked mourners to hold off on vigils as they were understaffed to police them.
'Afghan American' shooter kills 50 in US nightclub
"We understand our community is grieving and that vigils are being planned but PLEASE hold off on vigils - they represent a serious strain on our limited resources, which we need to dedicate to law enforcement and victims," the city posted on its official Twitter handle.
Neighbors of Stanley Almodovar III, a 23-year-old pharmacy technician, said his parents had recently moved back to Puerto Rico after his mother became ill with cancer. He was the youngest in the family.
The Facebook page for Almodovar III, of Clermont, Florida, was flooded with shocked tributes. "We'll miss you Stanley. You made an impact on everyone that you came around. A good person and friend," wrote Mark Nielsen of Deltona, Florida.
Images posted to Stanley's wall over the years showed him socializing with dozens of friends. "I will always remember you," Jeannette Molina wrote. "Your beautiful personality and spirit." Sotomayor Jr., a 34-year-old marketing manager at a Sarasota-based gay travel company, previously posted a photo of himself and former Florida Governor Charlie Christ on his Facebook page.
He was mentally unstable, says ex-wife of suspected Orlando shooter
In an Instagram post published Sunday, RuPaul's Drag Race judge Michelle Visage called Sotomayor "a joy." "I loved you on so many levels. You were SO SO special and will never be forgotten," she wrote. "I promise you that."
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ