At least two people inside the club stopped the gunman and prevented further violence, police said.
. Colorado Springs was the site of mass shootings at a Planned Parenthood in November 2015 that left three dead and at a birthday party last year that left six dead.
"It was so scary. I heard shots, broken glass, bodies . It was - how!? Why," said Joshua Newman, who was also in the club at the time of the shooting.He was inside the LGBTQ nightclub during a drag show, dancing, when he heard the shots and ran for cover. "Two firearms were found at the scene. We're still working to identify the firearms and who and who they belong to, but I can confirm that the suspect used a long rifle during this shooting," Chief Vasquez said.
In a July 2020 interview with Colorado Springs Indy, Club Q owner Nic Grzecka explained why he and his business partner opened the establishment. Lifelong Colorado Springs resident Tiana Nicole Dykes called Club Q "a second home full of chosen family." Jewels Parks, who has been in the Colorado drag scene for over a year and performs under the drag name Dezzy Dazzles, said Club Q was a community, a family and a space where the outside world's cruelty was not welcome.
"The people there made me feel like I was a part of a family. Seeing so many people out and proud about themselves definitely influenced me to be my true self," Taylor told CNN, adding that Club Q and its community helped them feel ready to come out. When asked at a news conference Sunday if it was the same person, officials said they had to follow protocol before releasing any information on prior cases.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat and the nation's first openly gay governor, issued a statement Sunday calling the attack "horrific, sickening and devastating" and offered state resources to local law enforcement. "As we seek justice for this unimaginable act, we must do more to protect the LGBTQ community and stand firm against discrimination and hate in every form,"President Joe Biden also issued a statement saying he was praying for the victims and their families.
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