Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Staff And Guests Pay Tribute To Orlando Shooting Victim

Universal team members and guests raised their wands to honor the life of Luis Vielma, a Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey team member who was killed in the Orlando nightclub attack, in a tribute earlier this week.

Vielma was 22 years old when he and 48 others were murdered in a mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse over the weekend. The gunman later died in a standoff with police.

“Tonight, we raise our wands to one of the greatest and best Gryffindors the world has ever known,” one of Vielma’s friends said. “Tonight, we raise our wands to Luis Vielma. He was brave, and he was one of the kindest souls you will ever meet in your life.”

Vielma’s life was also celebrated by Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling on Twitter earlier this week.

You can check out tweets from Rowling and photographer Asher Adams below.

The attack is being described as the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, and one that likely breaks with a trend, as most recent mass shootings have not had an explicitly political bent. Shooter Omar Mateen reportedly targeted Pulse because he could kill a large number of LGBT people after being offended at seeing two men kissing recently.

“Although it’s still early in the investigation, we know enough to say that this was an act of terror and an act of hate,” President Obama told reporters gathered at the James Brady Briefing Room in the White House on Sunday.