Fatal shooting at Tuscon gay bar considered a 'hate crime' says police
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A shooting at a gay bar in Tucson, Arizona, left three people dead, including the shooter. Police say the shooting is believed to be a hate crime.
The suspect, 44-year-old Ousman Ceesay, shot and killed Vincent Anthony Siquerios, 42, and Cameron Davis Capara, 33, in the parking lot of Venture-N gay bar on August 31 before turning the gun on himself. He did not attempt to enter the bar.
According to the Tucson Police Department, the suspect was new to the city and did not know the victims.
Both Siqueiros and Capara died at the scene, and Ceesay was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Tucson Police Department said Ceesay was carrying a note with a list of other LGBTQIA+-associated businesses in the region.
While searching his home, detectives also found a note that “indicated he acted alone and that this shooting was a targeted attack motivated by hate toward the LGBTQIA+ community,” the department said.
A growing memorial to the two victims remains outside the bar. Various local LGBTQ+ organizations are planning a candlelight vigil at a nearby public park.
“Venture-N has been a safe haven, a sanctuary, and a place of comfort for Tucson’s queer community for decades,” PFLAG Phoenix wrote in an Instagram post. “This tragedy is a heavy and painful reminder of the homophobia and hate that still exists.”