Univision will air “Baño de Sangre,” which translates to “Blood Bath,” a special that features gory re-enactments of the mass shooting inside Orlando’s Pulse nightclub despite public outcry to scrap the show.
The special re-enacting the massacre that left 49 people dead and many more injured will air today (Saturday, Feb. 25) at 6:55 p.m. ET on the Spanish-language channel despite the condemnation of parents of victims, survivors, the club’s owner and GLADD.
Univision pulled ads for the special that featured bloody bodies piled on top of each other, and the club responded via Twitter.
@CronicasSabado @Univision your decision to air will only force us to re-live this tragic night. Please be respectful and do the right thing
— Pulse Orlando (@pulseorlando) February 25, 2017
The network put out the following statement: “Univision has set out to create a report that is deeply respectful to the many people whose lives were impacted by this tragedy and, at the same time, is faithful to the facts underlying this horrible crime.”
People have taken to social media to express displeasure, with one user writing, “Shame on you Univision. Re-enacting the Pulse massacre & using victim interviews without consent is gross!”
Last June, Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old U.S.-born citizen of Afghani descent living in Port St. Lucie, Florida, opened fire inside the Orlando nightclub that served a mostly gay clientele.
Police shot and killed the gunman after he committed the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.