Deadly shooting outside Arizona gay bar probed as possible hate crime

Tucson’s LGBTQIA+ community is facing heightened fear and grief after two men were killed in the parking lot of Venture-N, a longtime gay bar near downtown. Police are investigating the shooting as a possible hate crime and have increased patrols around LGBTQIA+ establishments, while saying there is no known continuing threat to the public. The violence has unsettled a gathering place that community members describe as a neighborhood institution and a safe haven for generations of queer Tucsonans.

Vincent Anthony Siqueiros, 42, and Cameron Davis Capara, 33, were shot shortly after midnight Monday, according to the Tucson Police Department. Both died at the scene. Police identified the suspected shooter as 44-year-old Ousman Ceesay, who also suffered a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Investigators have not released details about how Ceesay was wounded or confirmed his manner of death, and they have not said whether he knew either victim.

Police said preliminary evidence indicates that Ceesay confronted Siqueiros and Capara in the parking lot before opening fire. Authorities also said he was carrying a note that named several businesses associated with the LGBTQIA+ community. The businesses listed have not been identified publicly. Those details are central to the possible hate crime investigation, but police have cautioned that the inquiry remains active and have released little additional information.

The department has not said what led to the confrontation, whether anyone else was involved, or what happened inside or immediately around the bar before the shooting. James Horton, the department’s public information officer, said investigators were waiting for information from the medical examiner about Ceesay’s injuries. Chief Monica Prieto said detectives are examining all available evidence and pursuing leads to determine the full circumstances. Police have also added officers near other gay friendly businesses in the area as a precaution.

The incident has also affected Venture-N’s owners and staff. Property owner Jose Ortega told CNN that he was traveling in Mexico when the acting manager called at about 1 a.m. to report that something had happened outside. Ortega said one of the victims entered the bar bleeding and reported being shot. Ortega and business partner David Wallis, who owns Venture-N, returned early after learning what had happened. Ortega said both victims were regular patrons, while people working at the bar had never seen or heard of Ceesay.

Venture-N is known as one of Tucson’s remaining gay bars and has a low key, neighborhood atmosphere, with a bar, pool tables and darts. Community members say its importance extends beyond nightlife. The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation described the business as a place where people build friendships, chosen families and a sense of belonging. Tucson Queerstory said the bar has served as a dependable safe space for decades. Candles, flowers and photographs have been placed outside the building, creating a memorial for Siqueiros and Capara.

The shooting has been especially painful for older LGBTQIA+ residents who remember earlier periods of open discrimination and violence. Mary O’Donoghue, executive director of Southern Arizona Senior Pride, said members in their 70s and 80s are reliving experiences connected to Stonewall and other struggles. She said the killing damaged the feeling of safety many people had found in Tucson, a city often regarded as welcoming. Some people her organization spoke with had moved to Tucson from places affected by previous nightclub attacks, including Colorado Springs, where five people died at Club Q in 2022, and Florida, where 49 people were killed and 53 wounded at Pulse in Orlando in 2016.

Mayor Regina Romero called the shooting a devastating attack on Tucson’s LGBTQIA+ community and another example of senseless gun violence. Pima County Attorney Laura Conover said no one should fear being targeted because of their identity or where they gather. Local and national LGBTQIA+ organizations, including PFLAG Phoenix, Tucson Queerstory, Southern Arizona Senior Pride, the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation and NYC Pride, have expressed support and condemned the violence. GLAAD said nearly 50 people have been killed in anti LGBTQ hate crimes nationwide since June 2022, with nearly 350 injured, and identified at least 58 targeted acts against LGBTQIA+ people in Arizona during the past four years.

A candlelight vigil organized by Tucson Queerstory, Southern Arizona Senior Pride, the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation and other groups was planned for Sept. 2 at a local park to honor Siqueiros and Capara and support those affected. Community members say the response will need to include both mourning and efforts to restore a sense of safety. As the police investigation continues, people connected to Venture-N and Tucson’s broader queer community are working to remain together, protect one another and preserve the gathering spaces that have long helped them feel at home.