Nine years have passed since 49 lives were taken at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub in a horrifying act.

On June 12, 2016, Omar Mateen opened fire at 2:02 a.m. on a crowd of 320 people, killing 49 and wounding 53. At the time, it was the worst shooting in U.S. history. June 12 is offically known as Pulse Remembrance Day. People in Orlando, across the nation and around the world are taking time to honor those lives lost and gather strength in their memories.

The city will host an annual remembrance ceremony to honor and remember the lives lost along with their families, survivors, first responders and others impacted by the tragedy.

The ceremony will be held at First United Methodist Church in Downtown Orlando on Thursday, June 12 at 5:30 p.m.

Select from the photos below to learn more about the victims and their stories.



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