(WXYZ) — A deadly mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado happened more than 1,300 miles away from Metro Detroit. However, the region's LGBTQ+ community says the impact is far reaching.
“...yet another tragedy. I’m angry. I’m really angry," David Garcia, the executive director of Affirmations Detroit told 7 Action News.
A. Nzere Kwabena, executive director of LGBT Detroit, said he felt "sadness."
He said, “I think about the families who woke up this morning to lost ones. You go to a nightclub Sunday morning, (and) one of your loved ones is gone. I mean, how horrible is that?”
Both men say the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016 in Orlando is one of the first things that came to mind after hearing of the latest mass shooting in Colorado. Authorities say five people died, and 18 were injured.
While investigators are still determining whether this shooting was a hate crime, Garcia said he’s seen an increase in threats towards Affirmations LGBTQ+ Community Center.
Garcia said, “Just last week, someone called in and said they were friends of the Parkland shooter and they were on their way to affirmations.”
Kwabena said it’s an everyday heightened awareness for individuals.
“It’s one of those experiences that when you're out and you walk amongst everyone there’s a certain kind of behavior that you are cautious about. You pray that it doesn’t come your way and for some it comes too often," Kwabena said.
To combat hate from turning into violence, Garcia said more allies of his community need to speak up.
“You see us under attack. Until the straight community gets off the sidelines and starts to fight with us shoulder to shoulder and help protect us, and call their politicians and say, ‘I don’t care if you’re a republican, democrat, this rhetoric against the queer community is causing violence. As a straight person, knock it off'," he explained.
Kwabena said, “My hope is that people find a way to manage their hate to hopefully find someone they could talk to (and) seek professional help, so that they could look at their brothers and sisters as people and not as a target to destroy.”
Garcia said, “All we want is the same rights as everyone else and to live our life like in safety and security. That’s the big gay agenda. That’s it.”
Both groups denounce copycat incidents and say conversations will be held in the coming days on where to go from here.
