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22-Year-Old Shoots and Kills 5, Injures 18 at Gay Club

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22-Year-Old Shoots and Kills 5 at Gay Club

A 22-year-old man opened fire at a gay club in Colorado Springs, killing five people and injuring 18 others before being stopped by “heroic” Club Q patrons.

The shooting brought back memories of the 2016 massacre at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, which killed 49 people and remained the second-deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

According to police, at least two firearms, including a “long rifle” used during the shooting, were discovered at Club Q following the Saturday night attack.

The club described it as a “hate attack” on its Facebook page. El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen said investigators were still determining a motive and whether to charge it as a hate crime. The suspect’s charges “will almost certainly include first-degree murder,” he said.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, the gunman, was arrested and treated for his injuries, according to police.

Authorities said a man with that name was arrested in 2021 after his mother reported that he threatened her with a homemade bomb and other weapons. They declined to comment further on the arrest.

Shots Fired Club Q Gay Club

Authorities stated at the time that no explosives were discovered, and The Gazette in Colorado Springs reported that prosecutors did not pursue any charges and that records were sealed.

gay club

The first officer arrived at Club Q gay club at midnight after authorities were called at 11:57 p.m. Saturday with a shooting report.

Joshua Thurman said he was dancing in the club with about a dozen other people when the shots started. He initially mistook it for music until he heard another shot and saw the flash of a gun muzzle.

Thurman, 34, claimed he and another person dashed to a dressing room where someone was already hiding. They locked the door, turned off the lights, and sat on the floor, but he added they could hear the gunman being beaten up.

“What could I have lost my life for?” “What was the point?” he wondered, tears streaming down his cheeks. “We were just having a good time.” We weren’t out to hurt anyone. We were in our space, community, and home, having fun like everyone else.”

Gay Club Patrons fought the gunman.

According to Police Chief Adrian Vasquez, the gunman was confronted by “at least two heroic people” who fought and subdued the suspect.

“We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude,” he added. According to Vasquez, detectives were also looking into whether anyone had assisted Aldrich before the attack.

Police did not provide additional information about the other guns discovered at the scene.

Authorities reported that seven of the 25 injured were in critical condition. Some were injured while fleeing, and it was unclear whether all of the victims were shot, according to a police spokesperson.

The shooting brought back memories of the 2016 massacre at Orlando’s Pulse gay nightclub, which killed 49 people. Colorado has seen several mass shootings, including one at Columbine High School in 1999, another at a movie theatre in suburban Denver in 2012, and another at a Boulder supermarket last year.

It was the sixth mass killing this month, and it came just a year after the deaths of 21 people in a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

According to its website, Club Q Gay Club is a gay and lesbian nightclub with a Saturday drag show. According to the Gay Club’s Facebook page, planned entertainment includes a “punk and alternative show” before a birthday dance party and a Sunday all-ages drag brunch.

22-Year-Old Shoots and Kills 5 at Gay Club

Drag events have recently become a focal point of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and protests, with opponents, including politicians, proposing banning children from attending, falsely claiming they are used to “groom” children.

The FBI assisted police with their investigation, and Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting.

While the motive for the shootings was not immediately clear, President Joe Biden stated, “we know that the LGBTQI+ community has been subjected to horrific hate violence in recent years.”

Hate Can not Be Tolerated.

“Places that should be safe havens of acceptance and celebration should never be turned into havens of terror and violence,” he said. “Hate cannot and must not be tolerated.”

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, the first openly gay man elected governor in the United States, called the shooting “sickening.”

“My heart breaks for the families and friends of those who have died, been injured, or have been traumatized,” Polis said. “As we mourn, Colorado stands with our LGTBQ community and everyone affected by this tragedy.”

A makeshift memorial appeared near the club on Sunday, with flowers, a stuffed animal, candles, and a sign that read “Love over hate” next to a rainbow-coloured heart.

Seth Stang was on his way to buy flowers for the memorial when he learned that two of the deceased were his friends. The 34-year-old transgender man described it as “having a bucket of hot water dumped on you.” I’m just tired of running out of safe places to live.”

22-Year-Old Shoots and Kills 5 at Gay Club

Ryan Johnson, who lived nearby and was there last month, said it was one of only two LGBTQ nightspots in conservative-leaning Colorado Springs. “It’s kind of the go-to for pride,” the 26-year-old said of the gay club, hidden behind a bowling alley and a sandwich shop.

Colorado Springs, a city of approximately 480,000 people located 70 miles (112 kilometres) south of Denver, is home to the United States Air Force Academy, the United States Olympic Training Center, and Focus on the Family, a prominent evangelical Christian ministry that opposes LGBTQ rights. The shooting, according to the group, “exposes the evil and wickedness inside the human heart.”

Three people were killed, and eight were injured at a Planned Parenthood clinic in the city in November 2015, when authorities say a gunman targeted the clinic because it performed abortions.

“The senseless attack on our community has devastated Club Q,” the club said on Facebook. “We appreciate the quick actions of heroic customers who subdued the gunman and brought this hate attack to an end.”

22-Year-Old Shoots and Kills 5 at Gay Club

Kevin Jennings of Lambda Legal, the CEO of a national LGBTQ-rights organization, has called for stricter gun laws.

“America’s toxic mix of bigotry and absurdly easy access to firearms means that such events are all too common, and LGBTQ+ people, BIPOC communities, the Jewish community, and other vulnerable populations pay the price for our political leadership’s failure to act time and time again,” he said in a statement.

The shooting occurred during Transgender Awareness Week, just before Sunday’s International Transgender Day of Remembrance, when events are held worldwide to mourn and remember transgender people who have died due to violence.

In June, 31 members of the neo-Nazi group Patriot Front were arrested and charged with conspiracy to riot at a Pride event in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Experts have warned that anti-gay rhetoric could be interpreted as a call to action by extremist groups.

A fundamentalist Idaho pastor told his small Boise congregation the previous month that gay, lesbian, and transgender people should be executed by the government, echoing similar sermons from a Texas fundamentalist pastor.

22-Year-Old Shoots and Kills 5 at Gay Club

According to The Associated Press/USA Today database on mass killings in the United States, there have been 523 and 2,727 deaths since 2006.

Below is a list of other recent high-profile mass shootings:

– RALEIGH – Oct. 13, 2022 – In North Carolina, a 15-year-old shot and killed five people and was apprehended after a manhunt.

– HIGHLAND PARK – July 4, 2022 – In Illinois, a man perched on a rooftop during a Fourth of July parade and killed seven people and wounded dozens more.

– UVALDE, May 25, 2022 – A gunman opened fire at an elementary school in a South Texas town, killing 19 students and two teachers. Police from several agencies gathered outside the classroom and waited more than an hour before a U.S. Border Patrol team entered the classroom and shot the suspect dead.

– LAGUNA WOODS, May 15 – A gunman killed a doctor and wounded five other people at a Taiwanese American church banquet in California in what officials called a methodically planned attack because the shooter was upset over Chinese-Taiwanese tensions.

– BUFFALO, May 14, 2022 – A white gunman killed 10 Black people inside a supermarket in a racially motivated attack. He was charged and remained in jail without bail.

– NEW YORK CITY, April 12, 2022 – In one of the most violent attacks in the history of New York’s transit system, 23 people were wounded when a 62-year-old man activated a smoke bomb and opened fire in a subway. He was taken into custody the next day.

– OXFORD, Nov. 30, 2021 – Four students were killed, and seven others were wounded after a teenager opened fire at a high school in Oxford, Michigan.

– INDIANAPOLIS, April 16, 2021 – A former FedEx employee who had been under psychiatric care shot eight people dead and injured several others at an Indiana facility of the shipping company before taking his own life.

– LOS ANGELES, March 31, 2021 – Four people were killed, one of them a child, in a shooting at an office building in suburban Los Angeles before the suspect was taken into custody.

– BOULDER, March 22, 2021 – A mass shooting at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, killed 10 people, including a police officer.

– ATLANTA, March 16, 2021 – Eight people, including six women of Asian descent, was shot dead in a string of attacks at day spas in and around Atlanta. A male suspect was arrested.

– MILWAUKEE, Feb. 26, 2020 – A gunman opened fire at the Molson Coors Beverage Co brewing complex in Milwaukee, killing five co-workers before he committed suicide.

– DAYTON, Aug. 4, 2019 – A gunman dressed in body armour opened fire in downtown Dayton, Ohio, killing nine people, including his sister. Police killed the shooter.

– EL PASO, Aug. 3, 2019 – A man fatally shot 22 people at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas. A statement believed to have been written by the suspect called the attack “a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas.” Authorities arrested the shooter.

– VIRGINIA BEACH, May 31, 2019 – A disgruntled public utility employee opened fire on co-workers at a municipal building in Virginia, killing 12 people before police fatally shot him.

– AURORA, Feb. 15, 2019 – A man opened fire at an Illinois factory after being fired, killing five workers before being slain by police.

– THOUSAND OAKS, Nov. 7, 2018 – A former Marine combat veteran killed 12 people in a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. He then killed himself.

– PITTSBURGH, Oct. 27, 2018 – A gunman burst into the Tree of Life synagogue near Pittsburgh and fired on congregants gathered for a Sabbath service, killing 11.

– SANTA FE, May 18, 2018 – A 17-year-old student opened fire at his high school outside Houston, Texas, killing nine students and a teacher before surrendering to officers.

– PARKLAND, Feb. 14, 2018 – A former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killed 17 students and educators.

– SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Nov. 5, 2017 – A man thrown out of the U.S. Air Force for beating his wife and child shot 26 people fatally at a rural Texas church where his in-laws worshipped before killing himself.

– LAS VEGAS, Oct. 1, 2017 – A gunman opened fire on a country music festival from a 32nd-floor hotel suite, killing 60 people before taking his own life.

– ORLANDO, June 12, 2016 – A gunman fatally shot 49 people at Pulse, a gay nightclub, before he was shot dead by police.

– SAN BERNARDINO, Dec. 2, 2015 – A husband and wife killed 14 people at a workplace holiday party in San Bernardino in Southern California before dying in a shootout with police.

– ROSEBURG, Oct 1, 2015 – A gunman stalked onto an Oregon college campus and opened fire, killing nine people before police shot him to death.

– CHARLESTON, June 17, 2015 – A white supremacist killed nine Black churchgoers at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. He was sentenced to death.

– WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2013 – A former Navy reservist working as a government contractor killed 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard. He was shot dead by police.

– NEWTOWN, Dec. 14, 2012 – A gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children from five- to 10 years old, in a rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

– AURORA, July 20, 2012 – A masked gunman killed 12 people at a cinema in Aurora, Colorado. He received multiple life sentences.

– FORT HOOD, Nov. 5, 2009 – An army major and psychiatrist opened fire at Fort Hood, a U.S. Army base in Texas, killing 13 people.

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Iris Apfel, Fashion Icon Known For Her Eye-Catching Style, Dies At 102

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NEW YORK — Iris Apfel, a textile expert, interior designer, and fashion celebrity renowned for her unique style, has died. She was 102.

Lori Sale, Apfel’s business agent, confirmed her death and described her as “extraordinary.” No cause of death was specified. It was also confirmed on her verified Instagram page on Friday, a day after she celebrated her 102nd and a half birthday on Leap Day.

Apfel, born on August 29, 1921, was known for her irreverent, eye-catching costumes that combined haute couture with huge costume jewellery. A traditional Apfel ensemble would include a feather boa, strands of chunky beads, bangles, and a jacket embellished with Native American beadwork.

apfel

Iris Apfel, Fashion Icon Known For Her Eye-Catching Style, Dies At 102

With her large, round, black-rimmed glasses, bright red lipstick, and short white hair, she stood out at every fashion event she attended.

Her style has been the focus of museum exhibits and the documentary film “Iris,” directed by Albert Maysles.

“I’m not pretty, and I’ll never be pretty, but it doesn’t matter,” she commented at one point. “I’ve got something far better. “I have style.”

Apfel achieved late-life stardom on social media, accumulating nearly 3 million followers on Instagram, where her profile reads: “More is more & Less is a bore.” She gained 215,000 TikTok followers as she waxed eloquent about fashion and style and promoted previous collaborations.

“Being stylish and being fashionable are two entirely different things,” she stated in a TikTok video. “You can simply buy your way to being fashionable. I believe you have a natural sense of style. It denotes inventiveness and boldness.”

She never retired, saying “Today” that “I believe retiring at any age is a fate worse than death.” Just because a number appears does not mean you have to stop.

“Working with her was an honour of a lifetime.” “I shall miss her regular calls, always greeted with the usual question: “What have you got for me today?,” Sale said in a statement. “A testament to her voracious drive to work. She was a visionary in every sense of the term. She observed the world through a unique lens equipped with massive, unusual spectacles perched on her nose.”

Apfel was an expert in textiles and ancient fabrics. She and her husband Carl ran Old World Weavers, a textile manufacturing company specializing in restoration work, including projects at the White House for six U.S. residents. Apfel’s celebrity clients included Estee Lauder and Greta Garbo.

apfel

Iris Apfel, Fashion Icon Known For Her Eye-Catching Style, Dies At 102

Apfel’s celebrity skyrocketed in 2005 when the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City staged a show about her called “Rara Avis,” Latin for “rare bird.” The museum characterized her approach as “both witty and exuberantly idiosyncratic.”

Her individuality is generally seen in her mingling of high and low fashions—Dior haute couture with flea market finds, 19th-century church vestments with Dolce & Gabbana lizard trousers.” According to the museum, her “layered combinations” broke “aesthetic conventions” and “even at their most extreme and baroque” showed a “boldly graphic modernity.”

The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, was among several museums nationwide that held a touring version of the display. Apfel later donated hundreds of pieces to the Peabody, including couture gowns, to help them establish what she described as “a fabulous fashion collection.” The Museum of Fashion & Lifestyle, located near Apfel’s winter home in Palm Beach, Florida, also plans a gallery to display artefacts from her collection.

Apfel was born in New York City to Samuel and Sadye Barrel. Her mother owned a store.

apfel

Iris Apfel, Fashion Icon Known For Her Eye-Catching Style, Dies At 102

In her later years, Apfel appeared in advertisements for M.M.A.C. Cosmetics and Kate Spade, contributing to her reputation. She also created a line of accessories and jewellery for Home Shopping Network, worked with H&M on a collection of brightly coloured apparel, jewellery, and shoes that sold out in minutes, launched a makeup line with Ciaté London, an eyeglass collection with Zenni, and collaborated with Ruggable on floor coverings.

In a 2017 interview with APA.P.t the age of 95, she claimed her favourite modern designers were Ralph Rucci, Isabel Toledo, and Naeem Khan, but added, “I have so much, I don’t go looking.” When asked for fashion tips, she replied, “Everyone should find her own way. I’m a strong advocate for individualism. I don’t like trends. If you learn who you are, what you look like, and what you are capable of, you will know what to do.”

She dubbed herself the “accidental icon,” which inspired the title of a book she published in 2018, replete with keepsakes and style ideas. Odes to Apfel abound, ranging from a Barbie in her likeness to T-shirts, eyewear, artwork, and dolls.

Apfel’s husband died in 2015. They had no children.

SOURCE – (AP)

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2024: MLB Players Concerned About Uniform’s ‘See-Through’ Pants Ahead Of The New Season

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MLB

Major League Baseball players have encountered an unexpected issue ahead of the new season: a defective outfit.

Players and spectators have previously expressed issues about the new jerseys worn this season, and on Thursday, as spring training games began, MLB Players’ Association (MLBPA) executive director Tony Clark expressed concern over the pants.

“A lot of the rhetoric is confirmation that the trousers are see-through,” Clark stated, according to ESPN. “It’s been a continuing conversation, with each day bringing something new that appears to make less sense than you’d like.

mlb

MLB Players Concerned About Uniform’s ‘See-Through’ Pants Ahead Of The New Season

“Universal concern,” Clark remarked, “is the pant.”

The jerseys for the new uniforms, designed by Nike and manufactured by Fanatics, have already received criticism from fans for seeming cheap, lightweight, and having an unappealing appearance. Meanwhile, a Baltimore Orioles player described the new jerseys as “a knockoff” from TJ Maxx.

“It’s disappointing that we’ve landed in a place where the uniforms are the topic of discussion,” Clark said.

According to a news release, Nike collaborated with over 300 athletes to create a more breathable, lightweight, and stretchy jersey.

mlb

MLB Players Concerned About Uniform’s ‘See-Through’ Pants Ahead Of The New Season

The corporation has yet to react to CNN’s prior request for comment on criticism of the uniforms, and Fanatics has declined to comment.

Players wore them during last season’s All-Star Game, and Nike and MLB reported that they were favourably received.

“They’re designed to be performance wear rather than what’s traditionally worn, so they’ll be different,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said of the uniforms.

mlb

MLB Players Concerned About Uniform’s ‘See-Through’ Pants Ahead Of The New Season

“I think after people wear them a little bit, they’re going to be really popular.”

This year’s Opening Day is set for March 28, but the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will play two regular-season games in Seoul on March 20 and 21, marking the first MLB games in South Korea.

SOURCE – (CNN)

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Nike Is Cutting About 1,700 Jobs

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nike

Nike will lay off approximately 2% of its employees, or almost 1,700 people, as the sportswear titan seeks to save up to $2 billion in expenditures.

“The actions we’re taking put us in a position to right-size our organisation to pursue our most promising growth opportunities,” a Nike (NKE) representative said in a statement Friday. “While these changes will impact approximately 2% of our total workforce, we are grateful for the contributions made by all Nike teammates.”

According to its most recent annual report, the corporation employs around 83,700 individuals globally as of May 31, 2023.

nike

Nike Is Cutting About 1,700 Jobs

Nike lowered its revenue projection and announced cost cuts in December, citing rising fears that consumers worldwide are cutting back on spending. The corporation aimed to save up to $2 billion over the following three years.

Customers are shifting their spending habits, preceding discretionary purchases of things such as pricey trainers and athletic apparel in favour of necessities and experiences like concerts and travel.

Nike Is Cutting About 1,700 Jobs

Nike also faces stiff competition from emerging companies like Hoka and On Cloud.

When presenting the company’s latest financial results in December, Nike finance boss Matt Friend said its gloomier forecast reflected “indications of more cautious consumer behaviour around the world” and “increased macro headwinds in China and Europe.”

Nike Is Cutting About 1,700 Jobs

China, the world’s second-largest economy, is confronting significant hurdles, including dissatisfied customers, a real estate collapse, and decreased exports.

Meanwhile, according to official statistics released Wednesday, Europe narrowly averted a recession in the final three months of 2023, with its economy flatlining. Germany, the region’s largest economy, contracted last year for the first time since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

SOURCE – (CNN)

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