The Orlando Police Department has closed its investigation into the former owners of the Pulse nightclub without filing any charges. Victims’ families and survivors of the killing of 49 patrons at the LGBTQ-friendly club had asked law enforcement to investigate them for possible criminal culpability. The investigation found that no charges will be filed against former owners Barbara and Rosario Poma because probable cause didn’t exist for involuntary manslaughter by culpable negligence. About two dozen people, mostly survivors and family members of those who died in the 2016 shooting, gave statements to investigators, claiming that the club had various violations and security failures.
Efforts to reach the Pomas for interviews were unsuccessful, as they did not issue a statement through their spokesperson, Sara Brady. Investigators concluded that the lack of building plans did not hinder rescuers and it was impossible to determine how many people were in the club that night. They also noted that the city of Orlando never took action against Pulse for interior changes and there were uncertainties about how the gunman entered. The report stated that the Pomas’ actions were not done with a reckless disregard for human life and they could not have reasonably foreseen a terrorist incident at Pulse.
The Pulse Families and Survivors for Justice group criticized the investigation, calling it a “sham” and urged for a legitimate investigation with accountability. The shooting, carried out by gunman Omar Mateen during a Latin night celebration in 2016, left 49 dead and 53 wounded, making it the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history at that time. Mateen, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, was killed after a three-hour standoff with police. The Pulse property was purchased by the city of Orlando for $2 million in 2021, after which a conflict arose regarding the development of a memorial and museum on the site.
Barbara Poma, the former executive director of the onePulse Foundation, had been leading efforts to build a memorial and museum at Pulse. However, conflict-of-interest criticism arose due to her stated desire to sell the property instead of donating it. The original project, costing $45 million, was later estimated to cost $100 million, which led to her stepping down as executive director in 2022 and leaving the organization entirely in 2021. The city has now outlined more modest plans for a memorial, scrapping the idea of a museum and forming an advisory board to determine the memorial’s design. The investigation into the former owners of Pulse has concluded with no charges filed, disappointing many survivors and victims’ families who were seeking accountability.
