Five individuals were killed in a mass shooting at Club Q, an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, on Nov. 19. Local authorities identified 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich as the suspect of the attack that killed five and injured at least 17 others. 

   In an article from BBC News, the five victims were identified as Daniel Aston, Derrick Rump, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh, and Raymond Vance. Not only is the LGBTQ community burdened with grief for the loss of loved ones, but also for the loss of a beloved safe space in the Colorado Springs area. 

   Colorado governor Jared Polis, the first openly gay governor in the U.S., shared in a Facebook post that, “Club Q has been a safe haven for the LGBTQ community in an area where it hasn’t always been easy. It’s a place where we can gather, dance, and share the joy.”

   The shooting comes as a devastating attack to the LGBTQ community, just six years after the Pulse shooting, the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community in modern US history. Club Q deemed the attack as a hate crime, and Aldrich was charged with five counts of first degree murder and hate crime charges on Nov. 21.

   In a report from AP News, Aldrich was charged in June 2021 with a homemade-bomb threat against his own mother. Still, public records show no evidence of a police investigation to seize weapons. 

   According to NPR, Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez reported that Aldrich began his assault once he entered the building. 

   At least two club-goers helped to subdue the gunman when they “took the handgun from the [shooter] and hit him with the handgun to disable him,” Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said. 

   Army veteran Richard Fierro has been credited with his act of bravery in the disarmament of Aldrich. According to the New York Times, officials stated that the death toll would have been much higher, had it not been for the quick actions of Fierro. 

   “I tried to save people and it didn’t work for five of them,” Fierro said. “These are all good people. I’m not a hero. I’m just some dude.”

   Fierro was at Club Q with his family, which included his daughter’s boyfriend, Raymond Vance, who was shot and killed in the attack. Fierro’s daughter, Kassandra, and himself were both injured, as well. 

   As the LGBTQ community grieves this deplorable attack, they look towards a way to heal. Jeremiah Harris, a frequent guest at Club Q and member of the LBGTQ community shared his feelings after the attack.

   “Gay people have been here as long as people have been here,” Harris said. “To everybody else that’s opposed to that, we’re not going anywhere. We’re just getting louder, and you have to deal with it.”