Club Q victims stand in solidarity with the victims of the Maine mass shooting
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)- On Thursday, survivors of the Club Q mass shooting are standing in solidarity with the victims and their families in Lewiston, Maine. A gunman open-fired at a bar and a bowling alley, killing almost 20 and injuring dozens more on Oct. 25.
It's nearly been a year and emotions are still extremely raw for those who survived the horrific shooting last November in Colorado Springs.
"I'm devastated," said Ed Sanders, a Club Q victim after hearing the news about yet another massive shooting in the United States.
"There's really no time to kind of have a mental break and just keep going and do what we can," added Ashtin Gamblin, Club Q survivor.
Both Ed Sanders and Ashtin Gamblin were shot multiple times inside the Club Q nightclub on the night of November 19. Currently, they said they are struggling to understand how and why a gunman opened fire in a bowling alley and bar in Maine.
"I know what they're feeling, but it's just horrible. I can't imagine the scale and the children, it's just heartbreaking," added Sanders.
Now both said they're reliving the fear and heartache all over again for those impacted by the horrible nightmare.
"It's always somewhere where that person thinks that there's going to be a heavy population of people because they want to do the utmost damage," said Gamblin.
Sanders adds what bothers him the most, is knowing that situations like these continue to happen unless something changes.
"We need gun control legislation. We need something to tie the mental health issues to this effort. And until we do that it's going to keep happening," said Sanders. "I'm triggered whenever I go to a crowded place now and I watch my back, I look for the exits. I know whether there's security presence or not."
Both Gamblin and Sanders said they are now trying to communicate with the victims in Maine through a website for mass shooting survivors. They said that talking with other survivors has been helpful in their journey to recovering.
"It's an extremely long process. I can't promise it's going to get any better, but there is the support and the help out there," added Gamblin.
For more information on how or where to show support to mass shooting victims, click here.
