Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez was 25 when he was killed on June 12, 2016, in the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Known to family and friends as Culi and Junito, he lived in Orlando, worked as a sales associate and was studying healthcare at Ana G. Mendez University’s Orlando campus.

The attack, carried out by a gunman armed with an assault-type rifle and a handgun, killed 49 people and injured many others. The shooter, identified as Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to a terrorist organization; he had previously been investigated by the FBI and had legally purchased the firearms used in the attack. Lawsuits and investigations followed the massacre, and the event prompted calls for stronger gun control and increased protections for the LGBTQ+ community.

If anyone knew Gilberto or has memories to share about him, please contribute what you can.