COLORADO SPRINGS — Resilient and strong, two words one Club Q survivor used to describe Colorado Springs and the LGBTQ+ community.
The convicted Club Q shooter pleaded guilty to federal hate crime and gun crime charges during a court hearing on Tuesday morning in Denver.
Club Q shooter pleads guilty, receives sentencing for federal charges Tuesday
Survivor Ashtin Gamblin is a former employee of Club Q.
“We're obviously very resilient and headstrong and we will recover,” Gamblin said.
Gamblin said Tuesday was an emotional day.
“For me, this is just one more door that's closed. One less thing I have to deal with,” Gamblin said.
Gamblin and her family were in the courtroom when the Club Q shooter was sentenced. She read aloud her victim impact statement.
“It's still almost an intimidation just being around him,” Gamblin said.
Gamblin was shot multiple times that night. She survived and wanted the death penalty for the Club Q shooter.
“I personally never wanted to plead a deal. I think it's everybody's easy way out and they don't want to spend money on a trial when we know it's a common sense thing,” Gamblin said.
She was hoping the case would go to trial.
“It's beyond aggravating, but it's also kind of opened me up to start advocating for some changes,” Gamblin said.
Gamblin is relieved the court process is over.
“Between myself, my family and other victims. I think we're, we're very much over and we're very tired. Like, it's great that it's done. We don't have to see him anymore and he can be nothing but a pot in the wind,” Gamblin said.
Gamblin said it's important to honor all the victims and their families.
“Don't forget what happened. But use that as the power and the motivation to fix a very broken system,” Gamblin said.
She said now that the court process is over, she plans on leaving Colorado. Gamblin said it's time for her to move on.
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Tuesday afternoon update on the Oak Ridge Fire
Officials in Pueblo County Tuesday held a press conference where they said the Oak Ridge Fire had grown to a total of 495 acres Tuesday. All evacuation orders remain the same. The fire was first reported on Saturday.
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