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B.C. reacts to massacre at gay nightclub in Orlando

Residents in B.C are reacting to the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida at a gay nightclub Sunday morning that left at least 50 dead and another 53 injured.

'As a gay person this is horrible, my heart bleeds,' says Vancouver resident Fernando Esté

Chad Pawson · CBC News ·
Vancouver resident Jackson Barnard, left, Vancouver councillor Tim Stevenson, middle, and Vancouver resident Mathew Doubledee have all expressed shock and dismay about killings at an Orlando gay nightclub. (Doug Kerr/CBC)

Residents in B.C are reacting to the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida at a gay nightclub Sunday morning that left 50 dead and another 53 injured.

"That's the worst thing I've read in a long time," said Matthew Barnard. "Like I was stunned. I don't know I had a little cry to be honest. My son is in the gay community so I felt it really close."

His son Jackson says he too was horrified.

Matthew Barnard, left, said he cried when he learned about the mass shooting in a gay nightclub in Orlando on June 11, 2016. He is pictured with his son Jackson who is gay. (Doug Kerr/CBC)

"It's the last thing I wanted to see especially after the other killing the other day," Barnard said, referring to the murder of singer Christina Grimmie in Orlando on Friday. "Yeah it's absolutely terrifying."

Still, people in the LGBTQ community in Vancouver's West End say they are not living in fear because of events in Orlando.

Gerard Goguen, who lives in Vancouver's West End, says he does not feel unsafe despite the killing of gay patrons of a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. (Doug Kerr/CBC)

"Oh completely safe, I've been walking these streets for sixty years ... no, no there's not  a problem here," said Gerard Goguen. "It's terrible, for one thing. It's an act against gay people but I don't think it's a big group, it's an isolated affair. This is a just a local with a bone to pick with gay people because there are gay Muslims."

News of the tragedy in Orlando came just as Quesnel was holding its second ever Pride weekend.

"The first reaction was utter sadness," said Martina Feldman of the Quesnel Pride Society. " We spent the night celebrating and in Florida this was going on but it makes it even more evident that these parades are necessary because we do have hate crimes committed all over the world and in the LGBTQ community."

Vancouver's Pride celebrations will begin later in July and many who are planning on attending feel that the events in Orlando will be marked during them.

"Absolutely. I believe that we are united as human beings not just because it's a gay community. It's human beings," said Fernando Esté in Vancouver. " As a gay person this is horrible, my heart bleeds."

Vancouver resident Fernando Esté says gay people have been the targets of violence for a long time. "So it doesn't come as a surprise," he said of the shootings in Orlando. "But it does come as a shock because it's a massacre and it was intentional and I would like to know what motivated it." (Doug Kerr/CBC)

'Well frankly I'm numb more than anything else," said Vancouver City Councillor Tim Stevenson. "When I first heard it, the only words that came inside is 'oh no, no, oh no.' I can't imagine what it's like for families of so many people I mean we're talking about hundreds of people."

In Vancouver on Sunday people gathered for a vigil at 8 p.m. PT at the art gallery to remember the victims of Orlando. Similar events are being held around the province. On Monday, the City of Victoria will raise a pride flag to half mast at city hall.

with files from Deborah Goble

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