Deadly shooting at Tucson gay bar investigated as hate crime

Tucson’s LGBTQIA+ community is grieving after two people were killed in the parking lot of Venture-N, a longtime gay bar, in a shooting that police are investigating as a possible hate crime. The deaths have shaken a venue regarded by many residents as a safe and welcoming place, while prompting increased police patrols around other gay-friendly businesses in the region. Authorities say there is no known active threat to the broader community, but the investigation remains active.

The shooting happened shortly after midnight Monday outside Venture-N. Tucson police identified the victims as Vincent Anthony Siqueiros, 42, and Cameron Davis Capara, 33. Both were shot in the parking lot and died at the scene, according to police. The suspected shooter, Ousman Ceesay, 44, also suffered a gunshot wound and was taken to a local hospital, where he later died. Police have described the incident as a double homicide and suicide.

Investigators said early evidence indicates Ceesay confronted Siqueiros and Capara before shooting them. Police have not said whether Ceesay knew either victim, and officials have released few additional details about the confrontation. They also have not disclosed the precise circumstances of Ceesay’s death, saying investigators were waiting for information from the medical examiner to confirm the nature of his injuries.

A key part of the investigation is a note police say Ceesay possessed. It listed several businesses associated with the LGBTQIA+ community, authorities said. That detail, along with the location and circumstances of the shooting, led Tucson police to examine the killings as a hate crime. The department has not announced a final determination about motive, and the investigation is continuing as detectives work to establish the full sequence of events.

The U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is also gathering information, although it has not opened a formal federal civil rights hate crime investigation. The department said its inquiry is still in its preliminary stages. Any federal hate crime investigation would be separate from the case being pursued by Tucson police.

Police Chief Monica Prieto said bias motivated crimes are particularly heinous and have no place in Tucson. She acknowledged that the shooting could create fear and pain, while emphasizing the department’s commitment to making people of different backgrounds, identities and experiences feel safe and welcome. Police have increased their presence near other LGBTQ friendly businesses as a precaution.

Outside Venture-N, flowers, candles and photographs formed a growing memorial Tuesday. Tucson Queerstory, Southern Arizona Senior Pride and the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation were among the community organizations planning a candlelight vigil Wednesday night at a local park. PFLAG Phoenix described Venture-N as a safe haven and sanctuary for Tucson’s queer community and said the shooting underscored the continuing presence of homophobia and hate.

The loss has also brought personal memories to the surface. Mary O’Donoghue, executive director of Southern Arizona Senior Pride, said LGBTQ community members were shocked and heartbroken, and that the shooting damaged the sense of security many had found in Tucson. She said older adults in their 70s and 80s were reliving experiences tied to Stonewall, discrimination, aggression and violence. Some people who spoke with her had moved to Tucson after other attacks on LGBTQ venues, including the 2022 shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs and the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando.

Friends and acquaintances remembered both victims as people deeply connected to others. Tucson resident Peter Loya, who frequents Venture-N, said he had known Siqueiros for about 20 years and described him as thoughtful, considerate and optimistic about people. Drew Fellows, a friend of Capara, called him a revolutionary photographer with a people first outlook who believed in a better future for his community and for others.

Mayor Regina Romero called the shooting a direct and devastating attack on Tucson’s LGBTQ community and another senseless act of gun violence. She said it was a painful reminder that homophobia remains widespread in the country, and argued that stronger gun safety policies are needed. Her comments also pointed to the broader national context. A 2020 study published in Science Advances found that LGBTQ people in the United States are 2.7 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than cisgender, heterosexual people. For Tucson residents, the immediate focus remains on honoring Siqueiros and Capara, supporting those affected and awaiting answers from investigators.