Eugene Community Holds Vigil After Colorado Springs Queer Nightclub Shooting
On Nov. 20, the Eugene community gathered for a candlelight vigil following the night prior where a white 21-year-old shot and killed five and wounded over two dozen at Club Q, a queer nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
![A white sign with blue text reads "God loves [heart for o] all people. Support the lives of all LGBTQIA [each a different color] people." There's also a rainbow heart and a rainbow flag drawn on the sign.](https://i0.wp.com/doublesidedmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/signal-2022-11-20-204633.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1152&ssl=1)
The Eugene community gathered in front of Spectrum for a candlelight vigil on Nov. 20, 2022 following the night prior when five lost their lives and over a dozen were injured in a shooting at a queer nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado. [James Croxton // Double Sided Media] 
Candles, both burnt and not, sit on a table inside Spectrum, on Nov. 20, 2022 after the candlelight vigil for those killed and wounded in Colorado, Springs the night prior. [James Croxton // Double Sided Media]
Spectrum—Eugene’s queer bar—is normally closed after 4 p.m. on Sundays but remained open to host the candlelight vigil, organized by 77-year-old Larry Valerone, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Valerone said that he hadn’t done anything after the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida and that he felt he had to do something now. He invited some of his friends, too.
By 5:30 p.m., there were nearly 30 people of all ages gathered in front of the queer space holding candles and signs in solidarity with those in Colorado Springs.
The vigil lasted for about an hour and ended around 6:30 p.m. Valerone was still outside pacing back and forth with his sign.
The Eugene community gathered in front of Spectrum for a candlelight vigil on Nov. 20, 2022 following the night prior when five lost their lives and over a dozen were injured in a shooting at a queer nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado. [James Croxton // Double Sided Media] 
Candles, both burnt and not, sit on a table inside Spectrum, on Nov. 20, 2022 after the candlelight vigil for those killed and wounded in Colorado, Springs the night prior. [James Croxton // Double Sided Media]
