Daijiworld Media Network – Tucson

Tucson, Sep 2: Three people, including the suspected shooter, were killed in a shooting at a gay bar in Tucson, Arizona, with police investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.

Vincent Anthony Siqueiros, 42, and Cameron Davis Capara, 33, were shot in the parking lot of Venture-N shortly after midnight on Monday and died at the scene, according to the Tucson Police Department. The suspected shooter, 44-year-old Ousman Ceesay, also sustained a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Police said Ceesay was carrying a note containing the names of several businesses associated with the LGBTQIA+ community. Initial evidence indicates that he confronted the two victims in the parking lot before opening fire.

Investigators have not yet established whether Ceesay knew either of the victims. Police have also released limited information about how Ceesay died and are awaiting findings from the medical examiner regarding his injuries.

Authorities said there is currently no known threat to the wider community. However, police presence has been increased around other LGBTQIA+-friendly businesses in the region as the investigation continues.

Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto condemned the incident and said investigators were examining all available evidence to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

The incident has left Tucson's LGBTQIA+ community shocked, while a memorial of flowers, candles and photographs has been set up outside the bar.

Several community organisations, including Tucson Queerstory, Southern Arizona Senior Pride and the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation, planned a candlelight vigil in memory of the victims.

Mary O'Donoghue, executive director of Southern Arizona Senior Pride, said the shooting had also brought back painful memories for older members of the LGBTQIA+ community who had experienced discrimination and violence over several decades.

Some community members had previously lived in areas affected by deadly attacks on LGBTQIA+ venues, including the 2022 shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs that killed five people and the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida, in which 49 people were killed and 53 wounded.

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero described the incident as a devastating attack on the city's LGBTQ+ community and another tragic example of gun violence.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to establish the motive and complete the circumstances surrounding the shooting.