Colorado Springs mass shooting: Philly LGBTQ bars on heightened alert
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The man suspected of opening fire at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is being held on murder and hate crime charges. Five people were killed, including a man from Berks County, Pennsylvania.
The tragedy hits close to home for employees and patrons at LGBTQ bars and nightclubs across the country, including Level Up Bar & Lounge in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia bar's general manager says they're being extra vigilant in the wake of the deadly shooting.
Paul Pollock, the GM at Level Up in the Gayborhood, was heartbroken to find out about the five people murdered in the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs.
"These kinds of incidents, when you hear them happening, you picture them happening in your own space," Pollock said, "and it gets heart-wrenching. I don't ever want to feel what these people are going through."
To keep everyone safe, Level Up has a large security team that does pat-downs and bag checks on busy nights. That security team is now on heightened alert.
"It's very hard to feel safe anymore, but the world is the world," Pollock said. "It's not impossible for that to happen here, and I'm not wanting it to happen here either. I don't want it to happen anywhere."
The tragedy is being felt across the city and country.
During a Transgender Remembrance Day ceremony at the Community College of Philadelphia on Monday, students and staff took time to honor the victims.
"With the shooting that happened yesterday, it is more important than ever to remember those we have lost to violence that is just based on our existence," said Vinni Scarfo, coordinator at the MarcDavid LGBTQ Center.
One of the victims of the tragedy was a Berks County native.
Derrick Rump graduated from Kutztown Area High School.
In a statement, the Kutztown Area School District says "it is with great sadness that the Kutztown community grieves the loss of derrick rump. In his time at KASD, Derrick was a quiet, kind, helpful, cooperative student who loved art and music."
"This should be shocking to people in my community and people everywhere," Kendall Stephens said, "but it's not shocking because we're not waiting for an if, it's a when the next tragedy is going to happen in our community."
Philadelphia police say they will continue to be vigilant about safeguarding the LGBTQ community with additional patrols.
