Atlanta

Hundreds gather in Midtown Atlanta to honor Orlando terror attack victims

ATLANTA — Hundreds gathered in Midtown Atlanta at 10th and Piedmont for a candlelight vigil in honor of the people killed and wounded in the Orlando terror attacks.

People of all ages, ethnicities and sexual preference sang the national anthem.

"This crowd is what 'The Star Spangled Banner' is all about. It was beautiful, breathtaking," Beverly Jackson, with Moms Demand Action, said.

The Atlanta LGBT community wanted to show solidarity to any and everyone who would want to hurt them simply because of their lifestyles.

"To have something as horrific as this start right at the beginning of our pride month, I think it was both an act of terrorism and an act of hate," Sister Glitter B. Gay, from the Atlanta Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, said.

Federal authorities have not officially said that the gay community was targeted for this mass shooting, but people here certainly feel like an accused ISIS sympathizer attacked the Orlando gay nightclub for a specific reason.

"We need common sense gun laws. We need gun responsibility because we've been crying for so long," Jackson said.

When Mayor Kasim Reed showed up at the vigil he responded to the concerns of some about shootings.

"I think that we all need to make a decision that we're gonna do something about it," Reed said.

Atlanta Police increase patrols in areas popular to the LGBT community

Channel 2 Action News caught up with officers deployed to Atlanta's Ansley Park neighborhood, which is home to several gay-owned businesses.

Officers say dozens of uniformed and undercover officers will be in the area to protect the community.

Channel 2's Nefertiti Jaquez talked to people who say the increased patrols make them feel better.

While the Atlanta Police Department says there are no credible threats to metro Atlanta, they are not taking any chances.