Three years since shooting, survivors reflect on Club Q tragedy
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Wednesday marks three years since the mass shooting at a Colorado Springs nightclub.
Just before midnight on Nov. 19, 2022, a gunman opened fire inside Club Q, killing five and injuring 20 others. You can watch our special report by clicking here.
Derrick Rump, Daniel Aston, Kelly Loving, Raymond Green Vance, and Ashley Paugh were shot and ultimately killed. The memory of those lost still lingers in the minds of many.
But one survivor spoke highly about the support from the community following the tragedy.
"Colorado Springs is still hurting from this incident, and but it reminds us that the community as a whole supports us. The mayor supports us. Mayor Souther supported us, and the rest of the greater community," said Ed Sanders, a survivor. "Colorado is a welcoming place for everybody, including trans, including gay, including whatever label you go by."
This past year featured highs and lows for survivors of that shooting.
Colorado passed the Kelly Loving Act, which provides a slew of legal protections for transgender people.
The Retro Lounge, a place founded by Club Q survivors in the wake of the tragedy, hosted "A Night of
Resilience"Â for survivors and victims.
We spoke to the owner, Michael Anderson, who once bartended at Club Q and worked alongside those who died.
"Three years this evening, I clocked in to...bartend at Club Q alongside Derrick and Daniel...You know, tonight we do remember three years of the anniversary of the shooting. However, our mission here has always been to remember it every single day," says Anderson.
Anderson tells us the Retro Lounge is a reminder of the past, but also a reminder to never give up.
"Something horrible happened, but it doesn't mean...we give up. We don't run away. We keep fighting and we keep moving forward," says Anderson.
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