LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Five killed, 19 injured, and a community left devastated after police say a 22-year-old gunman walked into a gay bar in Colorado Springs and opened fire over the weekend.
Elliott Puckett is a Las Vegas performer who once performed in that gay bar called Club Q. When Puckett found out about the mass shooting, he says his heart sank to his stomach.
"You don't ever think about when you travel somewhere when you go somewhere that could be a place that is shot up," said Puckett.
It's a fear many performers like Elliott Puckett carry with them on a regular basis. Saturday nights massacre brought Puckett's worst nightmare to a frightening a reality.
"To go through Pulse in Orlando, which was just a massive heartbreak for everyone, and to go through it again it’s like why we are here again, why are we repeating the same thing over and over again," Puckett said.
He has been a drag performer for about 15 years, including here in Las Vegas. It's a form of entertainment where he says he can express himself freely, but he says with so much hate in this world against the LGBTQ+ community is he has to fear for his life.
"We shouldn't be living like that, we shouldn't be living in constant fear," said Puckett.
Colorado Springs police say Saturday night a 22-year-old man walked into Club Q, a gay bar, and opened fire killing five people and injuring 19 others the shooting is being investigated by police as a hate crime.
"We have designated safe spaces where we get to go. To see those spaces compromised, you can't put words into it, because there is nowhere else for us to go, for us to exist," Puckett said.
One of those spaces is here in Downtown Las Vegas is a gay bar, The Garden. Owner Eduardo Cordova says it is devastating to witness more people dying for simply being themselves in a space they consider safe.
"Immediately for me it is just heartbreaking to know that this is happening," said Cordova.
He says every hate crime that results in lives lost makes him prepare more hoping his bar is not the next target. Cordova says he's added metal detector, has practiced escape plans, and had important conversations with staff.
"The gay bar has always been and will always be a safe space for LQBT youth and our community to be themselves," said Cordova.
Puckett says we can no longer have members of our community get killed.
"This was fueled by hate and this was fueled by trying to tear us down as a community when we just genuinely want to exist quietly and safely in our own space. "
Cordova also says he is currently having critical conversations with Las Vegas City Council members in to ensure protection for our LGBTQ+ community and their safe spaces. He wants them secure and hopes to work with metro police to provide more security.
