Colorado Springs authorities name 5 victims in Club Q shooting, 2 heroes who stopped suspect

These are people who have loved ones, parents, maybe brothers or sisters or maybe even their own children, and their lives end in the blink of an eye. It's just a nightmare you can't wake up from. This is a terrible moment. This case is absolutely. being investigated as a possible hate crime. I still think it's so you know it's just a mistake, they've made a mistake and he's really alive. We all want to ensure that our community is not defined by this tragedy but by our response. is growing outside Club Q Bar in Colorado Springs five people were killed when a gunman opened fire inside that lgbtq plus

club

Saturday night 17 other people were shot and the alleged shooter is now in the hospital now Colorado police Springs released the

name

s of the

victims

today and they are Daniel Aston Derek Rump Kelly Loving Ashley Paw and Raymond Green Vance and we are also beginning to learn new information about the

victims

plus about what happened inside the

club

before and after the

shooting

and details about the alleged shooter and we have a lot To tell you that tonight we have coverage of the team today on Denver 7 News at five.

We want to start with Shannon Ogden from Denver 7, who lives outside Club Q, where there is still an active scene. Shannon, that's right, good night and good night everyone. I live here in northeast Colorado Springs, the saddest place in America tonight, right behind me, right behind the Club Q strip club/mall, where five people died. 17 people were shot right there, as mentioned here, along Academy Boulevard in front of the mall. Balloon memorial Pride flags lit candles notes cards people hugging people crying people just walking through the days whatever it takes to get through this horrible horrible time and we've got you completely covered let's start with Denver Seven's Russell Hawthorne tonight with What We Know that part of the investigation happened here and Russell at the press conference just concluded not long ago, that's right, Shannon, that press conference concluded here at the Colorado Springs Police Operations Center about a half hour ago and as you mentioned, we are learning.

More about the investigation There are also several unanswered questions about the investigation, but what we do know is that five victims died in that horrific

shooting

at the club early Saturday night early Sunday morning. Today we officially learned their identities, as Ann mentioned that 17 other people were also injured with gunshot wounds and are recovering in local hospitals or at home tonight, but the police would not discuss their conditions other than to say that they have different levels of injuries. There were a lot of questions today about what motivated the

suspect

and whether or not this will happen. will be filed as a hate crime when formal charges are finally filed here's District Attorney Michael Allen about an hour ago answering those questions if there is enough evidence to support that in this case, when we get to formal charges being filed, absolutely the we'll include charges here as well, but I also want to make it clear that bias motivated the Statute in Colorado, the highest level charge we can get with that charge is a class 4 felony, obviously we're talking about five people who were murdered and their Lives were ended.

They will be the highest charges in this case, without a doubt, those charges will probably carry life in prison without parole, while the class 4 felonies are parole-eligible crimes, so some interesting legal notes have been reported as well from the El Paso County District Attorney. that a long gun was used, as well as the possibility of another firearm purchased illegally in another state, police neither confirmed nor denied that this afternoon and then there were many questions about the

suspect

's criminal history and sealed court records and whether or not no In this case, those records will be opened.

The district attorney says there's a chance those records could be opened, but he didn't answer specific questions about whether we'll learn much more about this investigation and when we'll hear more about Denver again. seven to six for now we are live at the Colorado Springs Police Operations Center. I'm Russell Hawthorne Shannon, again, very good, these are the early days of this investigation. Thanks for your work tonight on that Russell. Now to the victims of all this. Patrick Perez from Denver 7 with what we know about the victims, good evening Patrick, good evening Shannon, as you can imagine, the families of these victims right now just want privacy, but throughout the day we have been able to piece together who they were these five people, thank you.

To some of the family statements they've released, here's what we learned. Kelly Love had just turned 40 and was making a new life in Colorado Springs. Her friend Natalie Skye says Kelly was excited to see the LGBTQ scene there. She was someone Natalie looked up to during her transition. Kelly's sister, Tiffany, told ABC News how much it meant to her. I have always been like her mother and wanted to guide her. I had just talked to her on the phone the same day we had. video calls that same day she was a kind person who he loved always fighting for people Derek rump was a waiter at Club Q his mother Julia Thames says he was a loving person with a heart of gold in a statement she says he was always there for my daughter and I when we needed him, also his friends from Colorado, who he said were his family, he was also living his dream and would have wanted everyone to do the same.

Daniel Aston worked with Derek and also performed at his mother Sabrina's club. He's still processing that he's gone, it's just a nightmare you can't wake up from and I keep thinking it's so you know it's just a mistake, they've made a mistake and he's actually alive. You just know it was like that. to uh, he lit up a room, you know, it's this old expression, but he really did it. um, uh, always smiling, always happy. Ashley Paul is also among the victims, her husband Kurt, through his family link, transmitted this message. We are absolutely devastated by the loss of Ashley meant everything to this family and we can't even begin to fully understand what it will mean to not have her in our lives.

Ashley was a loving wife, she was my high school sweetheart and she was just an amazing mother, his daughter was his whole world and finally Raymond Green Vance, his mother told The Gazette that she was at the club celebrating a friend's birthday and in the next few days and a couple of weeks we hope to learn more about exactly who these five people were , but only when their families are ready. to share her stories Shannon can't imagine what those people are going through. Okay, Patrick, thank you very much for that. I want to mention that Governor Polis has ordered that flags fly at half-mast throughout the state until sunset on Saturday, also five days for the five victims.

The pride flag will fly over our state capitol for five days. Alright, our newest reporter here, Daniel at Denver seven. Danielle Kreuter joins us live and Danielle, you spoke to someone involved in this very close-knit lgbtq plus community here. here at the

springs

, yes, I think the monument is a great testament that it has grown significantly since flowers and candles began to be placed here very early in the early morning hours over the weekend. It's a strong statement in El Paso County, a place often widely known. for their conservative views, but the lgbtq community here is not alone tonight, a sight that is unfortunately all too familiar at the Colorado crime scene, tape, flowers, media and crosses.

I think it brings us closer together if something like this happens and just makes it known that we are there. We're here, we'll stay at a sprawling Memorial outside Club Q, where five innocent people were murdered over the weekend. Most people choose to reflect in silence. Christina Horse Daniels shared her story with us after moving to mostly conservative Colorado Springs almost a decade ago, I was actually optimistic because I come from the DFW areas, I'm more tolerant here than there and everyone treats everyone Like you know you're human. She says back then Club Q was the lone light for those in the LGBTQ community who needed a place. feeling accepted, that was it, yes, and they are starting to appear more and more, it is welcome progress, it is improving, we still have a long way to go I think, but it is improving, the highlight for her is the increasing attendance at the Local Pride Fest. celebrations it was amazing walking down the street and seeing everywhere hundreds of people supporting us and then that was like a wish list for me, you know, it made me feel stronger and prouder, it's the progress she says she hopes . will continue in the face of unthinkable tragedy because I'm not going to let anyone you know stop me from being who I am or if I want to go out and be with friends, you know, family, um, I won't, I mean, they Not Gonna Keep Me High now Tonight in just a few hours there will be another vigil here outside the club to mourn those five lost lives.

It's just one of many vigils planned tonight in the city to support a community still reeling from live reporting. Colorado Springs I'm Daniel kreuter Shannon Daniel coiter I live in Springs tonight thank you very much Danielle and there are at least two vigils tonight. I'm sure there will be others, but I want to point out two that will take place in just a couple of hours, one is the track that is in Denver, they have a vigil at seven o'clock tonight and it is with the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado and then the second one I want to point out is the real play in Denver also at seven o'clock tonight. and that one about real jobs that will be streamed live on YouTube, uh, if you can't make it out and you want to honor these people, uh, just from the comfort of your home or on your phone, and Anne, I want to give it back to you just for now On this night so cold in more ways than one, the crowds are growing here along Academy Boulevard, cars buying and slowing down to pay their respects and we'll be back with you in a bit.

Later in this broadcast Dan, okay, Shannon, thanks for that. There are ways you can help victims and their families, and the best way is to do so through the Colorado Healing Fund. All you have to do is go to

colorado

gives.org and search. Colorado Healing Fund and be sure to select Club Q Shootout from the drop down menu. This fund was started in 2018 by a group of victim advocates as a safe way to support communities after a tragedy like this. GoFundMe we know has also been working to verify funds for victims and survivors and the largest one is organized by Good Judy Garage, which is an lgbtq plus owned auto repair shop here in the Metro.

So far we know that the fund has raised more than half a million dollars.