A bartender, the Club Q nightclub founder and a wounded survivor shared real-life horror stories from the Nov. 19 mass shooting in Colorado Springs with the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform Wednesday morning.
The panel is investigating the surge of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and violence in America.
Michael Anderson, Matthew Haynes and James Slaugh made the trip to Washington DC to ask politicians to take the recent increase in anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment seriously.
According to FBI data, hate crimes have increased by 40% in the U.S. in the last 7 years and a recent GLAAD poll found that nearly half of all LGBTQ respondents and three-fourths of transgenders fear for their safety in the current environment.
GLAAD, formerly the formerly the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, is a national organization which works for change and acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community. It has helped Club Q survivors since five people were killed and at least 17 others wounded in the mass shooting on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
James Slaugh — whose sister Charlene is recovering from multiple gunshot wounds and who himself was shot in the right arm the night of the attack — testified before the committee in a suit and rainbow tie. He told The Denver Gazette in an earlier interview that he was with a group celebrating near the bar when a person in a bulletproof vest walked into Club Q just before midnight and started shooting.
“To my horror, my sister Charlene was shot. She had been shot five times,” Slaugh told the committee Wednesday.
Though he said the attack realized his biggest fears, Slaugh assured the panel he won’t be stay silent.
“Hateful people want to drive us back into the closets and to live our lives in fear, but we cannot be afraid," he said. "No bullets will stop us from being proud of who we are.”
Michael Anderson, 25, was the only bartender to survive the Club Q shooting. Bartenders Daniel Aston and Derrick Rump were killed.
He testified at the hearing that the shooter hunted people in Club Q “as if our lives meant nothing.” He said he ran for his life, hid and prayed.
“I saw my friend lying on the floor bleeding out knowing there was little chance he would survive … I had to tell him goodbye while I continued to fear for my life, not knowing if the attack was truly over.”
He thanked President Joe Biden for efforts to reinstate the assault weapons ban.
Though the committee was empathetic to the Club Q survivor’s stories, GLAAD noted in a press release that around half of the panel members skipped Wednesday’s hearing.
Members of the panel noted that Christians are also a prime target for hate crimes.
“Today’s hearing is an attempt to blame R’s for horrendous acts of violence,” said Rep. Jody Hice, (R) Georgia. As an example, he brought up recent attacks on pro-life organizations.
"The rise of hate crimes deeply concerns me," Hice said. "It’s a tragedy we need to deal with. The reality is we’re all human beings and all created equal in the sight of God."
The Committee is comprised of 25 Democrats and 20 Republicans. It is not clear if members of the committee have specific actions or proposed legislation as part of an effort to reduce or prevent similar crimes.
In his testimony, Club Q co-owner and founder Matthew Haynes begged the Committee on Oversight and Reform for its support. To reiterate his plea, he read some of the hateful anti-LGBTQ messages that he received immediately after the shooting.
“The only thing I’m mad about is that the faggots had courage to subdue the wonderful killer,” Haynes quoted from one letter. He then added that Club Q will be back. “One man full of hate will not destroy us.”