In the early morning hours on June 12, 2016, 49 individuals were killed while at a Latin dance night inside Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. It was the deadliest mass shooting in the United States since Wounded Knee. The media focused initially on potential links to terrorism before moving into discussions of gun control and mental health. Somewhat slower to emerge was the discussion of the victims – predominantly queer people of colour, and the framing of the shooting in terms of homophobia and racism. LGBTQ communities responded immediately by organizing vigils around the globe and dedicating pride events to the memory of those lost. As part of an on-going study on LGBTQ experiences, we sought an ethics amendment to assess responses to the shooting. Participants answered open-ended questions about their response to the shooting and completed measures of trauma, grief, and their plans to attend LGBTQ pride events. In the month following the shooting, 371 participants completed the survey. Responses were not homogeneous, with some closeted individuals motivated to come out, while others choose to further conceal their identities. Some were spurred to action, while others felt immobilized. Nearly all noted the violation of what was meant to be a ‘safe space.’ Overall, the responses shed light on the processes of collective grief in a globally dispersed community connected only through shared sexual and gender identity.