What We Know About The Club Q Murder Victims

On the night of November 19, patrons were enjoying a night at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ hangout in Colorado Springs. Shortly before midnight, a young man entered the nightclub and opened fire. Amid the thumping music, guests heard a series of popping sounds and the atmosphere changed in an instant. One of the guests, Army veteran Richard Fierro, immediately went into action and tackled the gunman. "I don't know exactly what I did, I just went into combat mode. I just know I have to kill this guy before he kills us," Fierro told the New York Times. He was at Club Q enjoying his first time watching a drag show with his wife, daughter, his daughter's boyfriend, and two other friends when the incident occurred.

The suspect was identified as 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich. He carried two firearms — a handgun and a rifle — and was wearing a bulletproof vest. Matthew Haynes, the nightclub's owner, praised Fierro for his quick action, assisted by another individual, that saved many lives "He saved dozens and dozens of lives. Stopped the man cold. Everyone else was running away, and he ran toward him," Haynes recalled. The shooting happened less than a minute but the gunman left five people dead and many others injured (via CNN).

Raymond Green Vance was 22 years old and the longtime boyfriend of Richard Fierro's daughter, Kassie. In a social media post, his girlfriend described him as the "most hilarious most loving human." Vance's mother said her son was a "tall, handsome, gentle giant." According to a statement from Vance's family, Raymond was excited to have received his first wage from the job he had just gotten at FedEx (via KKTV). He lived with his mother and siblings, but he had been saving money to move out and get his own place.

Vance's grandmother, Esthela Bell, said she is still in shock about what happened to her grandson and it would take some time to get used to his absence, per NBC News. Vance was quite popular and had many friends, but he spent most of his time with his girlfriend and never gott in trouble. According to his family, he also loved playing video games and wanted to turn his hobby into a career. "His absence will leave irreparable heartbreak in countless lives," the statement read.

Ashley Paugh was at Club Q to have a fun night out with a friend. Paugh was 35 years old and married to her high school sweetheart, Kurt Paugh, whom she shared an 11-year-old daughter with. In an interview with the New York Times, Ashley's nephew, Jaden Harris, said that she worked with Kids Crossing, a foster care organization based in Colorado. "She'd always wanted better homes, better places for children," Harris stated.

Kurt was devastated by the loss of his wife, and he released a statement on behalf of Ashley's family. Kurt described his wife as a person with a huge heart and was dedicated to the work that she did for the organization and often went above and beyond for foster children. Before her death, she was looking for ways how to make the holidays more special for the kids (via Ark Valley Voice). Apart from taking care of her family and working with foster children, Ashley also loved outdoor activities and often went hunting and fishing. "She meant everything to this family, and we can't even begin to understand what it will mean to not have her in our lives," per the statement.

Daniel Aston was 28 years old and worked as a bar supervisor at Club Q. He was on his shift on that fateful night and his co-worker, bartender Michael Anderson, was devastated that Aston didn't make it out alive. "He was the best supervisor anybody could've asked for . . . he made me want to be a part of the positive culture we were trying to create there," Anderson told CNN. Aston moved to Colorado Springs in 2020 to be closer to his parents — Jeff and Sabrina — who lived just a few minutes away from the nightclub.

In an interview with The Denver Post, Sabrina described her son as an entertainer who was always friendly from the time he was little. He was a transgender man who was the happiest he'd ever been just before his death. According to Sabrina, Daniel told her he was a boy at just 4 years old and refused to wear girls' clothing until he was bullied. At around 11 years old, he told his mother that he was gay. "Actually, I knew he was trans, but he hadn't figured that out yet," Sabrina said. Daniel started transitioning in college and embraced his identity. "It's just unbelievable. He had so much more life to give to us, and to all his friends and to himself," his mother stated. Jeff and Sabrina don't want the loss of their son to be in vain, and they are doing their part in raising awareness of the transgender community. "We do not care, and no one else should either, how you dress or what you identify as. It doesn't harm anybody," Sabrina said.

Anyone who was a regular at Club Q knew 38-year-old Derrick Rump. He was a bartender at the establishment known for his sass and generosity. As reported by The Washington Post, Rump looked out for the drag queens who performed at the club and bought them clothes and accessories if they couldn't afford them, and he also purchased groceries for entertainers who got laid off during the pandemic. "He is what made Club Q," one of the club's patrons said.

Rump had been working at Club Q for five years, and he had the ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Apart from being a bartender, he also became a good friend to many of the regulars. He also sang karaoke on Thursday nights and was a talented entertainer. One of Rump's friends, Anthony Jaramillo, said the bartender was a good listener but also wasn't afraid to speak his mind. He "would not be afraid to tell you when you were wrong instead of telling you wanted to hear and that was really valuable," Jaramillo told CBS News. Rump's sister, Julia Kissling, shared that her brother absolutely loved the community at Club Q and enjoyed working there. "He made a difference in so many people's lives, and that's where he wanted to be," Kissling said (per WFMZ).

Kelly Loving was a 40-year-old transgender woman who didn't enjoy clubbing, but on the night of November 19, she went out to celebrate her 40th birthday. Loving's friend, Natalee Skye Bingham, was on a video chat with her before she entered Club Q and promised to call back once she had ordered a drink. However, the call from Loving never came. Bingham told The Denver Post that she had known Loving from the time she transitioned into a woman. "She was like a trans mother to me," Bingham said. Loving, who was originally from Memphis, had experienced tough times during her transition as well, and she had been a great support for Bingham.

Bingham and Loving had become such good friends and were supposed to spend Thanksgiving together. "She was such a beautiful trans woman. She could be intimidating because she was so gorgeous. But she was the exact opposite. She was warm, welcoming, and she took me under her wing," Bingham said (via NBC News). During their call, the last words Bingham said to Loving was, "Be safe. I love you."