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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Chamber Communiqué: Many ways to take part in Ashland's Fourth of July celebration ... Workshop on local 'safety & security' planned ... Plaza gathering commemorates Orlando victims ... Chamber Communiqué: Many ways to take part in Ashland's Fourth of July celebration ... Workshop on local 'safety & security' planned ... Plaza gathering commemorates Orlando victims ... ORLANDO SHOOTING SOPride president reacts to Orlando shooting: 'It's a dark day' Vigil planned for Monday evening in Ashland Plaza Comment By Ryan Pfeil For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Ryan Pfeil For the Tidings Posted Jun. 12, 2016 at 4:04 PM Updated Jun 12, 2016 at 6:06 PM By Ryan Pfeil For the Tidings Posted Jun. 12, 2016 at 4:04 PM Updated Jun 12, 2016 at 6:06 PM » Social News When Ashland resident Gina DuQuenne's wife first turned on the TV Sunday morning, 20 people had been confirmed dead in a shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando. About an hour later, that number had more than doubled to 50, with reports of 53 more injured. It is now the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Watching the aftermath unfold, DuQuenne, founder and president of Ashland-based nonprofit SOPride, said it felt like someone in her family had died. "It makes me really mad. I feel so much grief," DuQuenne said Sunday. "To me, it touches everyone's lives. It's a day of grief. It's a dark day." The shooter, 29-year-old Omar Mateen, grew angry at the sight of two men kissing two months before the attack, his father told The Associated Press. He also reportedly professed allegiance to the Islamic State in a 911 call the night of the shooting. The Associated Press reported that Mateen was a U.S. citizen who carried out the attack at a club called Pulse with two guns he purchased legally. He later exchanged gunfire with responding SWAT, which is when he was killed. Authorities have called the shooting a domestic terror incident. The shooting happened in the midst of LGBT Pride Month, held every June to commemorate the Stonewall riots in 1969. Per the Library of Congress , it is held "to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally and internationally." "These were innocent people. They weren't hurting anyone. They weren't harming anyone," DuQuenne said. "This one disturbed individual walks in and takes the lives of all these beautiful people." "People are celebrating this month all over the United States and to have this happen, it makes it so sad for all of us American people." SOPride will hold a vigil for everyone who was killed in the shooting at 6:30 p.m. Monday on the Ashland Plaza. The event is open to anyone. DuQuenne said it will be an opportunity for everyone impacted by the shooting to grieve. "On this day of sadness, grief and outrage, let us all come together this Monday in solidarity and pride in support of those we lost today," an SOPride Facebook post reads. —Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Ryan Pfeil For the Tidings Posted Jun. 12, 2016 at 4:04 PM Updated Jun 12, 2016 at 6:06 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501