The Orlando Police Department has concluded its investigation regarding the previous owners of the Pulse nightclub, Barbara and Rosario Poma, without pursuing any charges. This decision comes after victims’ families and survivors of the tragic shooting incident that claimed 49 lives at the LGBTQ-friendly club had urged law enforcement to look into possible criminal responsibilities on the part of the former owners.
According to an emailed statement from the Orlando police, no charges will be brought against the Pomas as there was no probable cause found for involuntary manslaughter due to culpable negligence. Despite statements from around two dozen individuals – mainly survivors and relatives of the deceased from the 2016 shooting – alleging issues such as a lack of building plans for first responders, unauthorized modifications to the venue, and concerns about capacity violations and security lapses, investigators were unable to interview the Pomas.
The investigation found that the absence of building plans did not hinder rescue efforts, the exact number of people inside the club that night could not be determined, the city did not take action when the club made interior changes, and uncertainties remained about the entry of the gunman, Omar Mateen.
Investigators determined that the Pomas did not exhibit a reckless disregard for human life and could not have reasonably predicted a terrorist attack at Pulse. The tragic shooting occurred during a Latin night celebration on June 12, 2016, marking it as the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history at the time. Mateen, who professed allegiance to the Islamic State group, was killed following a standoff with law enforcement.
Subsequently, the city of Orlando acquired the Pulse property last year for $2 million, following the sale of the property by the Pomas and another individual. Before the sale, Barbara Poma served as the executive director of the onePulse Foundation, which had been spearheading efforts to establish a memorial and museum. However, amid criticism of conflict of interest over her inclination to sell rather than donate the property, Poma resigned from her position in 2022 and departed from the organization in the past year.
As a result, the city has reevaluated plans for the memorial, opting for a more scaled-down approach without a museum. An advisory board has been formed by city authorities to help determine the design and features of the memorial site.