Community gathering today to mark one-year anniversary of the Club Q mass shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- For the last year, Club Q has acted as a memorial, full of flowers and tributes to the five lives lost. Sunday, the area will be full of people remembering once again.

Friday, a crew gathered to set up chairs and touch up paint on the building.

November 19, 2021, a shooter entered the building and shattered a sense of safety among the LGBTQ+ community.

Survivors have picked up the pieces and moved forward. On Sunday at noon, many survivors will gather alongside the Club Q owners, Governor Jared Polis and Mayor Yemi Mobolade.

"My heart still grieves, and I try not to cry because it's always hard to talk about this," said Mobolade. "Last Thanksgiving, I remember sitting with my family around the Thanksgiving table and thinking, gosh, the five empty chairs."

Through the stories of loss and healing, Mayor Mobolade said he dreams for Colorado Springs to be a more inclusive city.

"To give people a place and to feel that they belong and also to ensure that they also feel safe," said Mobolade.

Following the formal gathering, the city said they will lay flowers at 2:00 p.m. Sunday.