Mourners gathered in solidarity across the U.S. this week to honor the victims of the worst mass shooting in the country's history.
Forty-nine people were killed and 53 wounded early Sunday morning in Orlando, Florida, when a gunman, Omar Mateen, opened fire inside Pulse, a nightclub that was popular with the city's LGBTQ community.
As the investigation continues into the shooter's possible motives, his father has come forward to say homophobia might have played a role in the massacre. Pulse was a symbol of gay pride and tolerance in central Florida. June is LGBTQ pride month in the U.S., and the annual Gay Days festival in Orlando had just ended on June 6.
The Capital Club, Columbia's oldest gay bar, held a candlelight vigil Sunday evening. Columbia's Reformation Lutheran Church held an interfaith vigil for the victims Monday night and Charleston Pride also hosted a vigil on Monday.
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott appeared at The Capital Club on Sunday and pledged that law enforcement will protect the local LGBTQ community.
Jeff March, president of South Carolina Pride, spoke to WLTX at the same vigil.
"I think we're in shock," March said. "We're devastated. Terribly sad. It's just unbelievable."
March says the vigil is proof the LGBTQ community will not be terrorized.
"We can't be afraid," he said. "We can't let anybody win and we need to continue our fight for equality."
Around the world, citizens of many countries offered their condolences Monday to the victims and their families. A moment of silence was held on Old Compton Street, the heart of London's gay community. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower was aglow with the colors of the rainbow flag. In New York, the lights were turned off in the Empire State Building, and a vigil was held at the Stonewall Inn, a national historic landmark due to its role in the struggle for LGBTQ rights.
Two of the 49 killed had connections to the Midlands.
Thirty-two-year-old Deonka Deidra Drayton, who was working at Pulse at the time of the attack, was a native of Eastover, South Carolina, and her family has strong ties in the Columbia community. Her funeral is scheduled to be held in South Carolina.
Twenty-nine-year-old Darryl Roman Burt II studied English at Claflin University in Orangeburg from 2005 until 2007.
One of the speakers Monday at Reformation Lutheran Church was imam Omar Shaheed of the Columbia mosque Masjid as-Salaam, according to The State. Shaheed said the actions of the shooter, who reportedly pledged allegiance to the IS, are not consistent with Islamic teachings.