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Baltimore LGBTQIA+ community shares outpouring of love, support in wake of Club Q shooting

Baltimore LGBTQIA+ community shares outpouring of love, support in wake of Club Q shooting
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. OUR PEOPLE REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS? BREANA: SO FAR WE HAVE HEARD FROM A SERIES OF SPEAKERS. EMOTIONAL AS PEOPLE ARE EXPRESSING THEIR FEELINGS AND SADNESS OVER WHAT HAPPENED IN COLORADO. PEOPLE ARE HOLDING CANDLES RIGHT NOW AND IT IS TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO THE PEOPLE WHO DIED AND ALSO WHO WERE INJURED IN A SPACE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFE PLACE FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY. GATHERING WITH HEAVY HEARTS AND CANDLES IN HAND, TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE LOST, WHEN A GUNMAN OPENED FIRE SATURDAY NIGHT AND LGBTQ CLUB IN COLORADO SPRINGS. >> VERY HEARTBREAKING BECAUSE IT IS MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUE TO BE KILLED. BREANA: WILSON IS A LEADER WITH THE PRIDE CENTER OF MARYLAND. HE SAYS ALTHOUGH THE SHOOTING HAPPENED A THOUSAND MILES AWAY, IT FEELS WAY TOO CLOSE TO HOME FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY HERE IN BALTIMORE. >> A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS LOOK AT THE IMPACT. IT WAS ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT THIS PUT MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY IN FEAR. IN FEAR THAT WE COULD BE NEXT. BREANA: IN FEAR THAT PEOPLE COULD BE VICTIMIZED IN A PLACE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFE SPACE. >> WITH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF SAFE SPACES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE LGBTQ AND SAME GENDER LOVING MEMBERS, IT MAKES YOU FEAR OF WANTING TO BE OUT AT A BAR, MAKES YOU FEAR WANTING TO BE IN A NIGHTCLUB BECAUSE YOU ARE AFRAID. BREANA: WILSON WANTS PEOPLE TO BALTIMORE TO KNOW THEY ARE NOT ALONE IN THEIR FEAR OR GREASE. THAT THEY HAVE PEOPLE TO LEAN ON. HE HOPES THE CANDLELIGHT VIGIL PROVES IT. >> I HOPE THEY WALK AWAY WITH A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE GOT THEIR BACK. BREANA: WILSON SAYS THERE WILL BE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO KEEP THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY SAFE SEVERAL LGBTQ+ BARS IN ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALSO IN ON TONIGHT’S EVENT. AT 6:00 YOU WILL HEAR FROM MORE PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED TONIGHT’S VIGIL.
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Baltimore LGBTQIA+ community shares outpouring of love, support in wake of Club Q shooting
Baltimore's LGBTQIA+ community gathered Wednesday afternoon for an outpouring of love and support in wake of a hateful attack.| RELATED: Colorado club shooting survivor: 'I want to be resilient'People gathered at the First and Franklin Presbyterian Church on West Madison Street to pay respects to the five people who died and 19 others who were injured in a shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado.The Pride Center of Maryland, the Baltimore Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs and other organizations are holding a candlelight vigil. Gathering with heavy hearts and candles in hand, they stood in solidarity with those lost when a gunman opened fire Saturday night at the LGBTQIA+ club.| RELATED: What we know about the Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub shooting"It's really heartbreaking because it's members of our community (who) continue, continue, continue being killed," said Tramour Wilson, senior director of programming at The Pride Center of Maryland.Wilson said though the shooting happened 1,000 miles away, it feels way too close to home for members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Baltimore."A lot of individuals look at impact like, 'Oh, it was not here. It was all the way across the country.' But this put members of this community in fear, in fear that we could be next," Wilson said.There's also fear over how people could be victimized in a place that was supposed to be a safe space."With the limited amount of safe spaces that are available in communities that are LGBTQ and same-gender-loving members, it makes you fear of wanting to be out at a bar, makes you fear wanting to be in a nightclub because you are afraid that could happen here," Wilson said.| RELATED: Army veteran describes moment he took down gunmanBut Wilson said he wants people in Baltimore to know they're not alone in their fear or their grief, that they have people to lean on. He hopes the candlelight vigil proves it."I hope they walk away with a sense of community, (that) they know that there are other people out there who have their back," Wilson said.Wilson said they will also have important conversations at the vigil about how to keep LGBTQIA+ people safe in Baltimore.Several LGBTQIA+ bars, restaurants and nonprofit groups are supporting the vigil.Video below: Memorial outside of Club Q after deadly shooting

Baltimore's LGBTQIA+ community gathered Wednesday afternoon for an outpouring of love and support in wake of a hateful attack.

| RELATED: Colorado club shooting survivor: 'I want to be resilient'

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People gathered at the First and Franklin Presbyterian Church on West Madison Street to pay respects to the five people who died and 19 others who were injured in a shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The Pride Center of Maryland, the Baltimore Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs and other organizations are holding a candlelight vigil. Gathering with heavy hearts and candles in hand, they stood in solidarity with those lost when a gunman opened fire Saturday night at the LGBTQIA+ club.

| RELATED: What we know about the Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub shooting

"It's really heartbreaking because it's members of our community (who) continue, continue, continue being killed," said Tramour Wilson, senior director of programming at The Pride Center of Maryland.

Wilson said though the shooting happened 1,000 miles away, it feels way too close to home for members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Baltimore.

"A lot of individuals look at impact like, 'Oh, it was not here. It was all the way across the country.' But this put members of this community in fear, in fear that we could be next," Wilson said.

There's also fear over how people could be victimized in a place that was supposed to be a safe space.

"With the limited amount of safe spaces that are available in communities that are LGBTQ and same-gender-loving members, it makes you fear of wanting to be out at a bar, makes you fear wanting to be in a nightclub because you are afraid that could happen here," Wilson said.

| RELATED: Army veteran describes moment he took down gunman

But Wilson said he wants people in Baltimore to know they're not alone in their fear or their grief, that they have people to lean on. He hopes the candlelight vigil proves it.

"I hope they walk away with a sense of community, (that) they know that there are other people out there who have their back," Wilson said.

Wilson said they will also have important conversations at the vigil about how to keep LGBTQIA+ people safe in Baltimore.

Several LGBTQIA+ bars, restaurants and nonprofit groups are supporting the vigil.

Video below: Memorial outside of Club Q after deadly shooting