Who was Raymond Green Vance? Club Q shooting victim, 22, leaves behind heartbroken family and girlfriend
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO: The fifth victim of this weekend's Colorado Club Q gay bar massacre has been identified as 22-year-old Raymond Green Vance by the Colorado Springs Police Department. Vance was out with his family and his girlfriend, Kassy Fierro, to celebrate one of their birthdays, as per reports.
Vance was “smiling and dancing like a kid,” with his girlfriend at the club, said Richard Fierro, his girlfriend’s father, according to The Denver Post. Apart from Vance, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh, Derrick Rump, and Daniel Aston are the other victims. Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, is in custody for hate crime and murder charges after he took the lives of 5 people and left 18 gravely injured.
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"I had my whole Colorado Springs family in there. I had to do something. He was not going to kill my family. I just want people to take care of people, the people who are hurt and no longer with us. I still got two of my best friends who are in the hospital. They still need prayers; they still need support," said Fierro to Washington Post. He further continued, "Was he shooting at the time? Was he about to shoot? I don’t know,” Fierro recounted. “I just knew I had to take him down.”
Who was Raymond Green Vance?
Vance was born in Chicago and is a 2018 graduate. He was employed at Colorado Springs FedEx distribution center. The media release shared by his family details his deep affectionate relationship with his family. According to KKTV, the release read, “On November 19th, 2022, Raymond Green Vance went to Club Q to enjoy a show with his longtime girlfriend, her parents, and her parents’ friends; they were celebrating a birthday. The 22-year-old had never been to that nightclub before, and although he is supportive of the LGBTQ community, he is not a member of it."
The release detailed, "Unfortunately, he never left the club. Raymond was the victim of a man who unleashed terror on innocent people out with family and friends. His own family and friends are completely devastated by the sudden loss of a son, grandson, brother, nephew, and cousin loved by so many."
It further added, "Raymond was a kind, selfless young adult, with his entire life ahead of him. His closest friend describes him as gifted, one-of-a-kind, and willing to go out of his way to help anyone. He had just gotten a new job at a Colorado Springs FedEx distribution center and was thrilled to have received his first paycheck."
The press release also said, "He couldn’t wait to save enough money to get his apartment, but in the meantime, he lived with his mother and a younger brother, who adored him." The note detailed, "Raymond was born in Chicago (and has siblings who still reside there) but spent his entire life in Colorado Springs." Vance was a 2018 graduate of Sand Creek High School where his mother describes him as "a popular, well-liked young man who never got into any trouble and had plenty of friends."
Meanwhile, it also claimed, "Raymond spent most of his spare time with his girlfriend (whom he had been with since middle school) and playing video games, which were his favorite hobby and something he hoped to turn into an online career. Raymond grew up surrounded by cousins whom he was very close with, and they and the rest of his tight-knit family are still trying to come to terms with the fact he is gone."
It detailed, "His absence will leave irreparable heartbreak in countless lives. Right now the Vance family respectfully requests privacy as they grieve. Raymond will be missed unbearably. The Family of Raymond Green Vance”
However, his girlfriend, Kassy wrote on her Facebook wall, "My sweet baby. ill never be able to heal from this. I want to wake up from this horrendous nightmare. I pray u hear me when i call for you. im so sorry. ill never forgive myself for taking everyone there. i will love you til the day i get to come back home to your arms. theres a million pics and videos i could post here but in ur arms was the only place i ever felt safe. u are my home. my heart. my everything. u changed my life. u made life worth living."
The post continued, "u made me the happiest i ever been. laugh the hardest i ever have. meeting u was the best thing to ever happen to me. u gave me the best 5 years and four months. my sweet love, i will never forget u. i pray u watch over me and stay close. i never wanted this to happen to u. i wish it were me. u didnt deserve this. u are the brightest light. u made everyones life so much better. i love you. i love you. i love you. its me and u forever. i will miss u every single day"
It further detailed, "i will keep ur memory alive, just like u always wanted. i will smile and laugh just like u always did. i love you. so. much. forever. my sweet loving boy. my teddy bear. my baby. my forever. and now, my gaurdian angel." "i always told u were my angel. i love u my baby. rest so so so so so so peacefully my baby," the post concluded.