In the middle of the night, on November 19, there was a shooting at a LGBTQ+ club called Club Q, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The 22-year-old gunman, identified as Anderson Lee Aldrich, killed five people and injured 25 more.
The shooting took place in the span of a few minutes. The police received numerous 911 calls at 11:56 p.m., and an officer arrived at midnight and detained the shooter at 12:02 a.m.. There were 39 police officers and 11 ambulances present at the scene.
The five people who were killed have been identified: Daniel Aston, a 28 years old trans man and a bartender of Club Q; Kelly Loving, a 40 year old trans woman who had been subjected to violent hate before; Ashley Paugh, a 35 year old mother,who was at the club with a friend; Derrick Rump, a 35 year old bartender who made everyone feel welcome at Club Q; and Raymond Green Vance, a 22 year old who went with his girlfriend and her family and friends to celebrate a birthday. His girlfriend is the daughter of Richard Fierro, one of the people who subdued the gunman.
This event happened in close proximity to Trans Day of Remembrance, which was on November 20. The day is observed to memorialize the lives of transgender people who had been lost due to bias-motivated violence, and to recognize the violence and hate many transgender individuals have gone through because of their identity. Out of the five people that were killed in this shooting, two identified as transgender.
When investigating the intentions of the shooting, Colorado Springs Mayor, John Suthers, describes the event as having “all the trappings of a hate crime,” though he added that there still needs to be an official investigation conducted. Investigation on the shooter’s background reveals that Aldrich had been arrested for a bomb threat against his mother in June 2021, and he was also known for having anger issues. Aldrich has been charged with 305 criminal counts, including assault, bias motivated crimes and attempted murder.
Club Q issued a statement on social media about the incident, stating they were “devastated by the senseless attack on our community.” They also appreciated “the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.” There were three people who subdued the gunman: Richard Fierro, Thomas James, and an unidentified trans woman.
Fierro was an army veteran who was at the club with his wife, daughter, and friends. As he tackled the gunman, he claimed: “I don’t know exactly what I did, I just went into combat mode. I just know I have to kill this guy before he kills us.” He called for assistance and James, who was near the shooter, relocated his rifle and the woman kicked the shooter with her heels.
Many LGBTQ+ people within the Colorado Springs community feel deeply hurt because Club Q was seen as a safe haven for them. Club Q owner, Nic Grzecka, explains why he and his business partner founded the club: “The whole idea of this place is to have a safe place- to get a permanent one in the city.” Colorado Springs resident and frequent Club Q visitor, Tiana Nicole Dykes, called Club Q “a second home full of chosen family.” Jewels Parks, a drag performer in Colorado, said it was “a community, a family, and a space where the outside world’s cruelty was not welcome.”
Many people left their condolences at the vigil that was held on Sunday, November 20 for the shooting, and there were many other vigils and gatherings planned throughout Colorado to reflect on the incident and mourn the losses. Tragedy struck a tight-knit LGBTQ+ community in Colorado on a day that was intended to commemorate the lives lost due to violence motivated by transphobia.
