[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Colombian Foreign Ministry confirmed Tuesday that there are no Colombians among the 49 confirmed deaths of the Orlando mass shooting.
In a statement released by the San Carlos Palace in Bogotá, the ministry affirmed that the Colombian consulate in Orlando remains in permanent contact with the mayor’s office of Orlando, as well as local authorities to offer assistance to the victims of the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.
According to the Ministry, two Colombian women were injured during the shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub – one of whom had to be operated and is now stable – and one male who remains in critical condition in an Orlando hospital. The Ministry has not released the names of the three Colombians upon request of their families.
In the early hours of Sunday, the American-born Omar Mateen, 29, entered Pulse club armed with an assault rifle and pistol. Mateen opened fire killing 49 and wounding 53. According to eyewitness accounts from inside the club, Mateen warned hostages not to text anyone, took cellphones, and dialed 911 to pledge his allegiance to Islamic State (IS).
After a tree-hour standoff with the assailant, and clubgoers trapped inside the building, many hiding under dead bodies, the police blew a hole in the building allowing some hostages to escape, before entering and killing Mateen.
U.S President Barack Obama addressed the nation Sunday saying this most-recent shooting rampage on American soil was an “act of terror and act of hate.”
As the Pulse nightclub was celebrating its theme Latin Night on Saturday, many who were celebrating and dancing were Hispanics. One of the Colombians injured is reported to work as a barman at Pulse.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry is responding to the high requests by relatives of those affected by the mass shooting and has offered legal, as well as social assistance to family members should they decide to travel to Orlando.
The City of Orlando released Sunday the names of the 49 victims of the Pulse tragedy.
Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old
Amanda Alvear, 25 years old
Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26 years old
Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala, 33 years old
Antonio Davon Brown, 29 years old
Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old
Angel L. Candelario-Padro, 28 years old
Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25 years old
Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old
Cory James Connell, 21 years old
Tevin Eugene Crosby, 25 years old
Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old
Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old
Leroy Valentin Fernandez, 25 years old
Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old
Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 years old
Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old
Paul Terrell Henry, 41 years old
Frank Hernandez, 27 years old
Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old
Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 years old
Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old
Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old
Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25 years old
Christopher Andrew Leinonen, 32 years old
Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old
Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49 years old
Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 years old
Kimberly Morris, 37 years old
Akyra Monet Murray, 18 years old
Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 years old
Geraldo A. Ortiz-Jimenez, 25 years old
Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old
Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old
Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old
Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old
Jean C. Nives Rodriguez, 27 years old
Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 years old
Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz, 24 years old
Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan, 24 years old
Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old
Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old
Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old
Jonathan Antonio Camuy Vega, 24 years old
Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old
Luis S. Vielma, 22 years old
Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50 years old
Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old
Jerald Arthur Wright, 31 years old
