Vigil held for two people killed in hate crime investigation | News

TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) – Tucson Police are continuing their investigating of a deadly shooting outside a midtown gay bar and are investigating it as a hate crime. This comes after new details emerged about the suspected shooter’s apparent targeting of LGBTQ+-friendly businesses.

Police say initial evidence suggests the alleged shooter, Ousman Ceesay, confronted two victims in the parking lot of the Venture-N bar. Sources close to the investigation say a note found on the shooter listed three other LGBTQ+-friendly businesses he appeared to be targeting.

Authorities served a search warrant at Ceesay’s home and found more locations. Sources say Ceesay came to Tucson about a month ago from Oklahoma and is originally from The Gambia and he took his own life after the shooting. Police say there is no active, known threat to the larger LGBTQ+ community.

Members of the community gathered Monday to remember Cameron Capara and Vincent Siqueiros, the two victims killed in the shooting. A small vigil made up of candles, flowers and pictures was put together at Venture N.

“I don’t know how to put it into words,” Scott Blades said. “Just talking to people who knew one or both of the victims and it’s just heartbreaking.”

Blades, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, tells News 4 Tucson he used to come to Venture N all the time. He and others in the LGBTQ+ community consider it a safe place.

“This is a community establishment that has been here for decades,” Blades said. “Even if I didn’t know them, I feel like I knew them and had that connection to them.”

“It’s a place where people can gather and be themselves and meet folks and see folks,” Blades said. “It’s like a community hub.”

Blades shared a message to the community during this difficult time.

“Even though it’s a safe place where something horrible happened by some man with hate in his heart and a gun in his hand, we’re still going to do what we can to live our lives and to be a free, happy and connected community,” Blades said.

Another vigil is planned for Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Catalina Park.