Hudson Valley Native Among Those Killed in Orlando

A man with ties to the Hudson Valley was one of the 49 killed during last weekend's tragedy in Orlando.

Rockland County Government confirmed on Twitter that one of the 49 killed, 33-year-old Shane Tomilson, grew up in Ramapo.

Tomlinson was the lead singer of a Florida based cover band, Frequency. The band performed at another club Saturday night in Orlando before Tomlinson went to Pulse.

Wednesday, Rockland County residents united to honor the memory of the victims.

Speaking on the steps from the old Rockland Courthouse, Rockland County Executive Ed Day said, "We come together in unity to show that our strength as a community is greater than the hate of those who want to destroy the freedoms we cherish as Americans."

The names of all 49 victims were read. A bell was run after each name and a candle was lit for each person.

Instagram user Lennyr6040 posted a photo from Ramapo High School. The marquee reads, "Shane Tomlinson RIP 6-12-16 Orlando FL Always a Gryphon."

Tomlinson and his family moved from Rockland County to North Carolina. He was a 1999 graduate of Northwest Cabarrus High School and received a bachelor of science degree in communication from East Carolina University in 2003, according to the Charlotte Observer.

Tomlinson's parents received a call from President Barrack Obama Thursday offering his condolences. The President said their grief is beyond description, and that the victims were all part of the American family.

President Obama called the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub an evil, hateful act. He's hoping the debate over gun control will change after the Orlando massacre.

"The notion that the answer to this tragedy would be to make sure that more people in a nightclub are similarly armed to the killer defies common sense," Obama said. "Those who defend the easy accessibility of assault weapons should meet these families and explain why that makes sense."