J.K. Rowling took to Twitter on Monday, June 13, to mourn the loss of Luis Vielma, one of the victims killed in the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting that took place early Sunday morning, which left 50 dead. Vielma worked at Universal Studios’ Harry Potter World.
“Luis Vielma worked on the Harry Potter ride at Universal,” the Harry Potter author, 50, wrote alongside a photo of Vielma dressed in his work attire. “He was 22 years old. I can’t stop crying.”
Luis Vielma worked on the Harry Potter ride at Universal. He was 22 years old. I can’t stop crying. #Orlando pic.twitter.com/Nz2ZCWxNsS
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 13, 2016
Rowling also retweeted memories from Vielma’s friends and those who met him at Universal Studios.
“@jk_rowling Trust me, you would have loved him. He was the guy in the breakroom you liked four seconds after walking in,” one tweeter wrote, while another noted: “@jk_rowling @JMuniz822 had the pleasure of meeting him last week on my holidays, he was SO nice to my son, such a lovely guy.”
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Vielma worked on the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride. Shortly after Rowling paid tribute to Vielma, Universal Studios Orlando released a statement regarding his death.
“We are deeply saddened over the loss of our team member. We are working to support his friends and colleagues here at Universal Orlando,” the company said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Luis, his family, and all the victims of this tragedy.”
Vielma is just one of the 50 killed in the attack that President Barack Obama has called “the most deadly shooting in American history.” Sunday’s rampage was even deadlier than 2007’s Virginia Tech shootings, which had a death toll of 32.
As Us Weekly previously reported, police identified the shooter in the tragic event as Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old from Fort Pierce, Florida. The suspect was shot dead just before 6 a.m., several hours after he opened fire inside the gay nightclub.
Officials said they have labeled the tragedy a possible “act of domestic terrorism.” The FBI is currently involved in the investigation.
“We had a crime that will have a lasting effect on our community,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said in a news conference Sunday. “We need to stand strong, we need to be supportive of the victims and their families.”
