ORLANDO, Fla. — Victims and advocates of the Pulse nightclub shooting say they obtained a photo of an exit being blocked after 9 years of records requests.
“This is 9 years after the shooting and we’re just now getting this photo, it’s unbelievable.” Zachary Blair says this is a picture of a beverage cooler, blocking an exit at Pulse Nightclub.
He says one of the victims tried moving it, but it was too heavy, “It’s a glass door. He could see it’s an outdoor patio outside and could get out that way. But it was too heavy to move, so he was stuck in there for 30 minutes.” He says victims’ families and even the media have asked for the picture for years. “There were text messages from Fire Marshal Tammy Hughes that the City released and one of those text messages referred to a coke machine blocking the door.” Channel 9 obtained a document regarding those text messages shortly after the shooting.
The city of Orlando released a statement:
Following the Pulse tragedy, in order to ensure transparency, the City proactively posted all public records related to Pulse on our website and they remain there today. These records, which include fire inspection, code enforcement and permitting related to the building; demonstrate that the Pulse facility was safe, that it met occupancy, exit, fire and other related requirements.
Various provisions of Florida law have always prohibited release of images and videos which depict the bodies of victims killed during the Pulse Tragedy.
At all points since the Pulse tragedy, Florida law has prohibited the release of photographs or video which depict the body of any victim killed in an incident of mass violence and has provided that it is a felony for any custodian of such records to willfully and knowingly provide photos or videos depicting such bodies except as permitted in narrowly defined circumstances that are set forth in the statute.
Certain photographs and videos were not previously posted to the City’s Pulse tragedy records website because they depict bodies or large quantities of the blood of victims killed during the Pulse tragedy.
In February 2025, a member of the public did a public records request for specific photographs that depict bodies. The requester offered to pay for the time required to perform the extensive redactions needed to release images depicting bodies or blood, which is part of a victim’s body.
The city did not originally release these unredacted photos in accordance with the statute and to avoid re-traumatizing the victim’s families, survivors, and the broader community. As part of this public records request, the individual decided to pay for the redaction of the images, specifically to obscure blood stains and other potentially retraumatizing content.
Belinnette Ocasio-Capo says her brother Luis died in the tragedy. We asked, “Was he in the room where that Coke machine was?” She replied, “Ya he was trapped in the floor for 30 minutes bleeding out. There was no reason he should have died. He could have survived.”
Victim’s families hope the photo motivates the State Attorney to investigate the club owners and the city. Victim’s mother Christine Leinonen, “We are demanding that Monique Worrell do finally, after nine years, finally do an investigation.” Blair says Pulse Families and Survivors for Justice will keep fighting for more records. “It’s just crazy to see how long it’s been kept from the public.”
Pulse club owner Barbara Poma declined to comment pending litigation. We’re still waiting to hear back from the State Attorney’s office.
Dave Allmond, deputy chief investigator for the Ninth Judicial Circuit’s state attorney’s office, sent the following statement: “The Office of the State Attorney has received additional information in reference to the tragic Pulse Night Club shooting. With limited exception, the State Attorney’s Office generally does not conduct independent criminal investigations that fall within the jurisdiction of other law enforcement agencies. Due to the tremendous impact the Pulse tragedy had on our community, our office will further review this matter to determine the need for additional investigation into any potential criminal violations identified and the appropriate law enforcement agency that we recommend to conduct that investigation.”
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