LGBT Center hosts vigil for Colorado Springs mass shooting victims in Hollywood

In the wake of yet another mass shooting, allies and members of the LQBTQ+ community read the names of 37 names of the transgender people killed across the country this year during a somber local vigil. 

Two more names were added to that list after a gunman killed Kelly Loving and Daniel Aston at Club Q in Colorado Springs last Saturday.

"To have to more names added to that list on the eve of the day we honor and commemorate is devastating," said the center's Chief Impact Officer Terra Russell-Slavin. 

In addition to Loving and Aston, the gunman killed three others: Derrik Rump, Ashley Paugh and Raymon Vance. The Los Angeles LGBT Center honored all of the victims during the Hollywood vigil. 

"Some of you may have been hesitant or scared to gather," said Marian Marroquin, program manager at the Trans Wellness Center. "Trust me I understand that." 

According to the LGBT Center, crimes against the LGBTQ+ community are up nationally and locally. 

"Approximately 20 percent of all hate crimes committed in this country, and locally, are explicitly targeted towards the LGBTQ community," said Russell-Slavin. "That means people are acting out and taking violent steps because of someone's sexual orientation, their gender identity, who they love and how they identify."

Russell-Slavin said that the center and its allies will continue to take action. 

"We need to take action," said Russell-Slavin. "We need to call people in their states. We need to rally our supporters. We need them to talk to their legislators and demand action now."

Despite the increase in attacks, and the fear accompanying them, the LGBTQ+ community won't stop fighting against the hate. 

"We know that hate is real," said Marroquin. "A lot of us [have] seen hate up close. But we're still here."