November 19th, 2023 marked exactly one year since the Colorado Club Q shooting. On this fateful night, gunmen attacked this night gay club and killed five people and injured 17. We covered this story here earlier this year and now we want to update you on the current situation of the victims and the club’s plans for the future.

Club Q Shooting Left a Huge Gap in the LGBTQ Community

After a tragedy like what happened in a Colorado Springs night gay club, you can only imagine what the victims’ families and survivors are going through. Even as the Club promises to build a permanent memorial for the victims, the community still needs a lot of help and time to heal.

Club Q is yet to reopen, although there are rumors of plans to reopen in the same place or a new location by the end of the year.

The community gathered to remember and honor those affected. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community, families of the victims, and survivors came to remember those who lost their lives in this unfortunate tragedy. They lit incense and brought flowers to the memorial of those killed.

WYATT KENT, a drag queen who was performing during the fateful night appreciated the community for standing with the victims and the survivors. The occasion gave the community an opportunity to celebrate those who died and allowed the survivors to be open to the community.

Community Still Feels Loss and the Survivors Struggle with Pain

As the LGBTQ community, club owners, and politicians gathered to remember the victims of this shooting, it was clear that both the victim’s families and survivors are yet to come to terms with their loss.

The survivors still struggle with pain and trauma and the victims’ families still feel the loss. KENT, a survivor, lost his partner, Daniel Aston in the tragedy. The two were in a relationship for five months and were planning to get married within a few months.

Here’s what Kent said about Aston during the memorial. “I feel Daniel constantly at all times, but especially when the sunlight peaks through the clouds.”

He continued, “Daniel and I had this whirlwind love, it was poetic, it was a hallmark, it was spectacular.”

Ashtin Gamblin is another survivor of the shooting. Gamblin, who worked at the club, told NBC News that they are still in the healing process and still facing many battles. Gamblin was shot nine times around her arms. The scars remind her of the near-death experience from that tragic night. She is unable to work and still undergoes physical therapy.

These are only a few examples of what the victims’ families and survivors are going through. The pain and trauma that the community undergoes will take time to heal and they need all the help they need.

As an advocate of mental wellness for the LGBTQ+ community, LGBTQandAll has numerous mental health resources to help survivors navigate mental issues caused by the shooting. We also have a list of reputable therapists and psychologists in Colorado who can help the community cope with the situation and get their lives going again.

Victims Demand Accountability for Funds Donated in Their Names

One year after the Colorado Springs tragedy, victims still struggle with unpaid medical bills. This is so despite the many fund donations that have been made in their names.

Colorado investigators have confirmed to have received a petition from the victims of the Club Q shooting demanding transparency of the funds collected in their names.

Although the Colorado Healing Fund claims to have released all the funds they collected for the victims, the victims say there are still more funds to be released. In the letter addressed to Secretary of State Jena Griswold, Polis, Attorney General Phil Weiser, and political leaders, the victims demand accountability and the release of all funds donated to them.

Club Q Shooting Survivors and the Community are Against Club Reopening

Many survivors of the 2022 Colorado shooting are against the idea of the Club Q reopening. Although the club offered a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, the survivors are uncomfortable with the idea. The survivors are against the idea of the club reopening in any form, whether in the same location or a new one, claiming that it will awaken the feelings of trauma and the memories of the tragedy.

The club management had earlier announced plans to reopen the club in the original location and build a memorial on-site for those murdered. It later announced plans to reopen the club in a new location by the end of the year. They also plan to change the club’s name to “The Q.”

Despite these, the survivors feel that there are other safe spaces where the community can interact freely and don’t see the new Q establishment as an option.

Proper Mental Care is Necessary for the Club Q Survivors

The Colorado shooting and the subsequent suffering of the survivors underline the importance of providing proper mental care to the LGBTQ+ community. The fact that survivors of this tragic shooting undergo pain and trauma is a wake-up call to all parties—the government, non-profit organizations, and businesses to stand with the community in pursuit of justice and equality.

Colorado Springs shooting survivors need mental help and financial support to pay pending medical bills and survival.

LGBTQandAll is always at the front seat in advocating for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. To achieve this, we provide mental health resources and list the best mental professionals who are compassionate about issues of LGBTQ people.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community in need of mental help to overcome pain and trauma can benefit from our list of the best therapists and psychologists in Colorado. You may also want to check our financial resources if you are considering therapy loans or other financial support to pay for your therapy services.