Colorado Springs Survivor Says it Would ‘Make ‘a World of Difference’ if LGBTQ Clubs Had Armed Guards

A man who was wounded during Saturday’s mass shooting at a gay club in Colorado Springs said such venues should be protected by “armed” guards.

Barrett Hudson was shot seven times when a gunman police have identified opened fire at Club Q. Five people were killed and Hudson was among 25 others who were wounded. The suspected attacker was subdued by patrons, hospitalized, and is now in police custody facing murder and hate crimes charges.

Hudson described the harrowing and unprovoked attack during an interview with MSNBC’s Lindsey Reiser on Tuesday. He told the host from a hospital bed he believed LGBTQ spots are soft targets and suggested they should have armed security.

“There’s so much hate out there right now that gay bars are not safe,” Hudson said. “I told my friends that are drag queens, I said, ‘You have to get a gun and protect yourself. I am terrified for you to perform.’”

Hudson said he was unarmed at the time the gunman opened fire.

“Even if I would have had a pistol on me at the time, I guess where he got me at, I wouldn’t have had time to react,” Hudson said.

Reiser asked Hudson if he and others who frequent LGBTQ spots will ever feel safe after what happened in Colorado Springs.

“We know that LGBTQ-plus bars and clubs have been safe places for people to go in and be themselves, whether they’re a member of the community or not, and you feel right now that you don’t have that?” she asked.

Hudson responded:

I don’t have that because one thing I noticed – I have been around the world to a lot of gay bars, and security is very slim – security nowadays, some of them can carry weapons and some of them can’t. I think for the LGBTQ bar, you have get to get the security that can carry a weapon. I think that would make a world of difference. Not just a security guard, but like, security guards that can actually be armed.

Watch above, via MSNBC.

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

A man who was wounded during Saturday’s mass shooting at a gay club in Colorado Springs said such venues should be protected by “armed” guards.

Barrett Hudson was shot seven times when a gunman police have identified opened fire at Club Q. Five people were killed and Hudson was among 25 others who were wounded. The suspected attacker was subdued by patrons, hospitalized, and is now in police custody facing murder and hate crimes charges.

Hudson described the harrowing and unprovoked attack during an interview with MSNBC’s Lindsey Reiser on Tuesday. He told the host from a hospital bed he believed LGBTQ spots are soft targets and suggested they should have armed security.

“There’s so much hate out there right now that gay bars are not safe,” Hudson said. “I told my friends that are drag queens, I said, ‘You have to get a gun and protect yourself. I am terrified for you to perform.’”

Hudson said he was unarmed at the time the gunman opened fire.

“Even if I would have had a pistol on me at the time, I guess where he got me at, I wouldn’t have had time to react,” Hudson said.

Reiser asked Hudson if he and others who frequent LGBTQ spots will ever feel safe after what happened in Colorado Springs.

“We know that LGBTQ-plus bars and clubs have been safe places for people to go in and be themselves, whether they’re a member of the community or not, and you feel right now that you don’t have that?” she asked.

Hudson responded:

I don’t have that because one thing I noticed – I have been around the world to a lot of gay bars, and security is very slim – security nowadays, some of them can carry weapons and some of them can’t. I think for the LGBTQ bar, you have get to get the security that can carry a weapon. I think that would make a world of difference. Not just a security guard, but like, security guards that can actually be armed.

Watch above, via MSNBC.

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]