Some say gay club shooting was 'desecration' of safe space
In the mostly conservative city of Colorado Springs, Club Q has long been a go-to spot for members of the LGBTQ community — a safe space where many felt they could just be themselves
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — In the mostly conservative city of Colorado Springs, Club Q has long been a go-to spot for members of the LGBTQ community — a safe space where many felt they could let down their guard and just be themselves.
It’s a place where LGBTQ teenagers couldn’t wait to be old enough to enter to dance under the neon lights. It’s one of the first spots new LGBTQ residents are sent to meet others in the community and feel a sense of belonging.
But all that was shattered this weekend when a gunman entered the club as people were drinking and dancing — killing five people and injuring 25 others. As the community mourns the lives lost, many are also grieving over the place that has become a sanctuary for many longing to fit in.
“We were just enjoying ourselves. We weren’t out harming anyone. We were in our space, our community, our home, enjoying ourselves like everybody else does," said Joshua Thurman, who was on the dance floor when the shooting started. "How can we now do anything knowing something like this can happen?”
