Security has been stepped up at Julia’s on Broadway, but the mass shooting at a Colorado Springs nightclub has only added to the community’s concerns.
SEATTLE — Despite the tragic LGBTQ nightclub shooting in Colorado Springs, many people across Seattle felt the pain of Saturday night’s incident that left five people dead. That included a business in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood with ties to Colorado Springs nightclubs.
A place like Julia’s Broadway on Broadway near Seattle’s Capitol Hill should have been a safe haven for many.
“For those who come in, they have this hatred in their hearts, to take it away from people, because it does, and it scares the community to go to the places that are designated for us, for our safety,” said Shay Fox , host and production manager of the iconic brunch spot.
Fox said hearing the news of Saturday’s mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs was frightening and all the more concerning because a close friend of hers was one of the nightclub’s managers.
“I reached out to her and she said ‘I’m sad, I’m numb, it’s crazy, it’s horrible, these things are still happening in 2022,'” Fox said.
Unfortunately, in this day and age, many in the LGBTQ community have to deal with the fear of people inciting hatred and violence in their spaces every day, Fox said. Even at Julia’s, which dealt with its own incident a few months ago involving one person, one shot.
“We’ve got some aggressive people here on Capitol Hill, and that’s just a range, and we’ve come in and addressed it,” Fox said.
Fox said Julia’s now has a security protocol that includes some security checkpoints for patrons. Employees also now receive extensive training in handling crises and emergencies.
“There will be people who are against us and the way we choose to live and entertain,” Fox said. “We can’t let that get us down, and what doesn’t hold us back only makes us stronger.”