Community gathers for vigil to remember those killed in Club Q shooting

Many gathered at the All Souls Unitarian Church in Colorado Springs on Sunday for a candlelight vigil to honor the lives of those lost in the Club Q shooting. For several staff, family, patrons and friends, this was a way for them to grieve the sudden loss of their loved ones.

Club Q was a sanctuary for many in the LGBTQ community in Colorado Springs, now they feel like that piece of them has been stripped away.

Mary Schuler, a former drag queen performer at Club Q, describes the moments leading up to the tragedy.

"At first it was panic, everybody was just calling each other, making sure everybody was safe and checking in on Facebook and stuff like that," said Shuler.

But not everybody was safe and she learned that quickly overnight.

"I lost two friends who worked at Q and that is horrible all of my friends are grieving," said Schuler.

A regular at Club Q, Bella Mann, is also mourning the loss of loved ones.

"You never think this could happen to you… and then it does," said Mann.

Though that nightmare turned into a reality for many in the LGBTQIA+ community here in Colorado Springs overnight, Mann is relieved her best friend, also a drag performer at Club Q left the club minutes before the shooting.

"She left after she performed… if we were there, we would've hung out and been there… I guess it just was somebody looking out for us and that she made it out on time," said Mann.

Right now the community is focused on healing and moving forward, but not forgetting their roots.