Christopher Andrew Drew Leinonen, 32, was killed on June 12, 2016, in the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. He was at the club with his boyfriend, Juan Ramon Guerrero, who also died in the attack. The shooter, Omar Mateen, was killed by police during the incident. The attack left 49 dead and 53 injured and was classified as both a hate crime and an act of terrorism; Mateen reportedly pledged allegiance to ISIS during the assault, though no direct connection to the group was found.

Leinonen, a Detroit native, had been active in advocacy and humanitarian work; in high school he founded the Gay-Straight Alliance and received the Anne Frank Humanitarian Award. His mother, Christine Leinonen, became a vocal advocate for gun control after his death. Victims families, including Leinonen’s, later pursued lawsuits related to the shooting.

Did anyone who knew Drew or Juan have memories or details to share about their lives and advocacy?