COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Remembrances were held Sunday to mark one year since five people were killed in a shooting at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs.
The shooting happened the night of Nov. 19 into Nov. 20, 2022 at Club Q. Daniel Aston, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh, Derrick Rump, and Raymond Green Vance were killed. Seventeen other people were wounded.
The shooting suspect pleaded guilty and was sentenced in June to five life sentences without the possibility of parole plus 2,208 years.
Richard Fierro and Thomas James were hailed as heroes after taking down the shooter, grabbing their gun, and holding them down until help arrived.
"I think everybody in that room that night is forever changed regardless of what their injuries were. Regardless of who they may have lost. Nothing in there is going to bring back the five folks who passed," Fierro said a year later.
Ed Sanders, who was shot twice while inside Club Q, is continuing to honor the lives that were lost that night. He has since formed a relationship with Loving's sister. On Monday, which was also Transgender Remembrance Day, Sanders attended an event to remember Loving and others in the community who have been murdered.
Sunday was a day of sorrow, support, and solidarity outside the club as hundreds of people gathered in the parking lot to honor the five lives lost. The area outside has been decorated with the names and faces of the victims.
Club Q will not reopen at the same location. Instead, it will become a permanent memorial to honor the victims. Sunday, the community was invited to join survivors and victims' families in beautifying that memorial space by bringing flowers, candles, pride flags, and other items.
Inside the Satellite Hotel in southern Colorado Springs, contractors are working on the new home of "The Q by Club Q." But some survivors don't want that new location to open.
As we mark one year since the shooting, it can be hard to navigate how we react. Grief can feel lonely and overwhelming. However, it is important to remember you are not alone: there are people who want to help.
Here is a list of resources, from mental health services to organizations tailored to LGBTQ+ communities, where individuals can get access to comprehensive care whenever they need it.