Who owns Club Q? Shooting at Colorado Springs gay night club leaves 5 dead, 18 injured
This article contains distressing content that could be traumatic for some readers. Discretion is advised.
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO: Club Q, a popular gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, was attacked by an unidentified gunman on Saturday, November 19, who left at least five people dead and 18 more injured. The shooting was reported just a day before the Transgender Day of Remembrance or TDOR, which is observed annually on November 20 in memory of people murdered as a result of transphobia.
According to Csindy.com, the club was founded by Nic Grzecka with his business partner Matthew Haynes, after discovering that in the ’70s, people from Denver and Pueblo made the drive to the Springs for gay bars. In its Google listing, the club calls itself an "adult-oriented gay & lesbian nightclub hosting theme nights such as karaoke, drag shows & DJs.” The club also has a 4.2-star rating with more than 700 Google reviews.
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After the shooting, Club Q expressed its shock in a statement posted on its official Facebook page. The statement reads, “Our prayers and thoughts are with all the victims and their families and friends. We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”
Meanwhile, according to CNN, the local police discovered a person inside, whom they believe to be the suspect. On Saturday at 23.57 local time, Colorado Springs police reported receiving the first emergency contact regarding an active shooter. When officers entered the club, they discovered the suspect there. Police have so far revealed nothing about the motive behind the attack and said the number of dead and injured could change as the investigation continues.
Colorado Springs Police Lieutenant Pamela Castro reportedly said, “At this point in time, the suspect is being treated, but is in custody.” Castro, however, did not clarify whether the suspect was included in the count of people who were injured in the shooting. The shooting at Club Q is the latest in a string of assaults on LGBTQ establishments. In 2016, according to The New York Times, a shooter opened fire on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people and injuring 53 others while pledging allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist organization. At the time, then-President Obama called the attack "an act of terror and an act of hate."