Arizona police confirm Tucson gay bar shooting was a hate crime

For Tucson’s LGBTQIA+ community, the shooting outside Venture-N Bar was not only a deadly attack on two people, but also a blow to a place many residents have relied on for friendship, safety and belonging. Tucson police confirmed Tuesday that the Aug. 31 shooting was a hate crime motivated by hostility toward the LGBTQIA+ community. Vincent Anthony Siqueiros, 42, and Cameron Davis Capara, 33, were killed in the bar’s parking lot near Sixth Avenue and Speedway Boulevard. The gunman, 44-year-old Ousman Ceesay, also died after shooting himself.

Police said the attack happened shortly after midnight, at about 12:30 a.m. Monday. Investigators believe Ceesay confronted Siqueiros and Capara outside the bar before firing a 9mm handgun. The two victims died at the scene. Ceesay was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He did not enter Venture-N, and police said there was no apparent personal connection between him and either victim. Shell casings and the gun were recovered at the scene.

The Tucson Police Department said detectives found a note during a search of Ceesay’s home. According to police, the note indicated that he acted alone and that the shooting was a deliberate attack driven by hatred of LGBTQIA+ people. Investigators also found a list of LGBTQIA+ businesses in the region. Police said Ceesay was new to the Tucson area, had never previously dealt with the department and does not appear to have a criminal record in Pima County or a history in Arizona’s state prison system. Authorities also said he was likely legally permitted to possess a firearm.

Police have contacted every business identified on the list and said they have found no evidence of an ongoing threat to the community. The department’s Community Engagement and Outreach Section is working with local organizations, while officers have increased their presence around LGBTQIA+ establishments. Investigators are asking anyone with information, surveillance video or other security footage of the shooting or suspect to call 911 or 88-CRIME. Because the only identified suspect is dead, Pima County officials said a criminal prosecution is not expected, though the investigation into the attack’s circumstances continues.

The violence quickly prompted a memorial outside Venture-N, a neighborhood bar close to the University of Arizona campus. Candles in rainbow colors, flowers and photographs of Siqueiros and Capara covered the area as friends, residents and other community members gathered to grieve. People who came to the memorial described Venture-N as an important gathering place for LGBTQ+ residents, with significance reaching back decades. They emphasized that the bar has served as a setting where people could meet others, feel accepted and find a measure of security.

Community members also said the attack would not determine whether Tucson’s LGBTQIA+ spaces remain open and visible. A longtime local business owner who has been involved in Tucson’s LGBTQ+ community said she was frightened after learning that businesses appeared on the list, but also said she would continue displaying a pride flag and welcoming people. Her message, as conveyed at the memorial, was that fear and guns should not force businesses and residents into hiding. Others echoed the idea that Tucson residents would continue building community safety together.

Tucson Queerstory, one of the groups organizing a public response, described Venture-N as a longstanding safe place for queer residents and encouraged people to support the bar as it works toward recovering and reopening. The group organized a candlelight vigil for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, at Catalina Park on Fourth Avenue. Organizers said the gathering would honor Siqueiros and Capara while giving residents a chance to stand together. They also said the victims’ families were grateful for the community’s response and overwhelmed by the amount of support.

Local officials and service organizations expressed solidarity while acknowledging the fear caused by the attack. Pima County Board of Supervisors Chair Jen Allen called the killings shocking and senseless and said the county’s diversity and commitment to dignity leave no place for hate. Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto said investigators were examining all available evidence and that the department had no indication of another immediate public threat. She also said officials understood that the shooting could cause both pain and fear among LGBTQIA+ residents and were coordinating with community groups to help people feel safe.

The shooting also drew condemnation from LGBTQIA+ organizations beyond Tucson. SAAF said places such as Venture-N are more than businesses because they provide chosen family, connection and belonging, and offered help to people experiencing grief, fear or trauma. Phoenix Pride urged Southern Arizona residents to remain attentive to one another and continue supporting LGBTQ+ spaces. Pima County Victim Services can be reached at 520-724-5525 during the day, with after-hours assistance available through law enforcement. State and county victim resource programs are also available for people affected by the violence.

For residents who knew the victims, patronized Venture-N or simply see LGBTQIA+ spaces as part of Tucson’s identity, the police finding adds a painful certainty to an already devastating loss. The city is widely regarded as welcoming to LGBTQIA+ people, but community members and officials said the shooting demonstrates that hate remains a danger, especially when combined with access to firearms. As the investigation proceeds, residents are being asked to look after one another, share information with police and support the people and gathering places affected by the attack.