The internet has been morning the loss of five lives in a horrific shooting over the weekend at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs.

On Saturday evening, a gunman opened fire in the club resulting in five deaths and 19 customers, performers and employees injured before the suspect was subdued by at least two people inside the club.

Police released the names of Daniel Aston, Kelly Loving, Raymond Green Vance, Derrick Rump and Ashley Green Paugh on Monday as those who lost their lives.

A moment of silence outside Club Q, where mourners are gathered for another night of remembrance and support @NBCNews pic.twitter.com/Rk0iP6wiWw

— Alicia Victoria Lozano (@aliciavlozano) November 22, 2022

According to a report from the New York Times, the suspect is facing preliminary charges of "five counts of murder and five counts of biased-motivated crime-causing bodily injury" and is being held on hate crime charges on top of murder charges.

This tragic event occurred only a day before Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day marked to raise awareness about violence against transgender and gender-diverse people as well as to honour the 327 lives of trans and gender-diverse people that have been lost to murder between October 1 2021 and 30 September 2022.

The transgender population has faced discrimination, vocal and physical violence and even death for generations because of their identities. This day advocates for trans rights and acknowledges their everyday dangers and struggles, making the hate crime in Colorado all the more upsetting.

The shootings draws to light the increasing amount of harmful rhetoric and hate attacking the trans and LGBTQ+ community, coming six years after the deadliest hate crime against the queer community in modern history at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida which saw the death of 49 people.  Many music artists, celebrities and politicians have taken to social media to mourn the lives that were lost on Saturday night.

Among the public figures that spoke out was American country singer Kacey Musgraves, who expressed her mourning in response to a video of one of the club's customers crying during an interview about the shooting.

"Here we are... shattered again and again," she wrote on Sunday. "These people were just freely enjoying their lives and weren't hurting anyone. My heart is in half for the LGBTQIA+ fam. Love y'all forever."

WHY?! Just fucking why. Here we are..shattered again and again. Living in constant fear. It’s so beyond fucked up. 💔 These people were just freely enjoying their lives and weren’t hurting anyone. My heart is in half for my LGBTQIA+ fam. Love y’all forever. https://t.co/KVHqXxhb0O

— K A C E Y (@KaceyMusgraves) November 20, 2022

English singer-songwriter Sam Smith also reacted publicly to the tragedy. Speaking powerfully about the queer experience through his music, Smith expressed his wishes for love and healing among his community.

"Our community is strong and our love is true. In these heartbreaking times let us come together to heal," the pop artist expressed.

My heart and soul is with all the victims families after the Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs. Our community is strong and our love is true. In these heartbreaking times let us come together to heal. I love you all x
Repost https://t.co/VqOp0IxzvS pic.twitter.com/hdxVxBSyKr

— SAM SMITH (@samsmith) November 21, 2022

U.S. President Joe Biden also joined the conversation, mourning the victims of the shooting while bringing up the issue of ongoing gun violence against the LGBTQ+ community.

"We must address the public health epidemic of gun violence in all forms," the president declared the day after the tragedy. "We must drive out the inequities that contribute to violence against the LGBTQI+ people. We cannot tolerate hate."

Jill and I are praying for the families of the five people killed in Colorado Springs, and for those injured in this senseless attack.

While no motive in this attack is yet clear, we know that gun violence has a particular impact on LGBTQI+ communities across our nation.

— President Biden (@POTUS) November 20, 2022

It has since been released that Anderson Lee Aldrich, the suspected shooter, has identified as non-binary on court documents with the request to be referred to as Mx. Aldrich in paperwork.

A video from a broadcast on CNN went viral on social media after host Alisyn Camerota live reacted to the news, questioning that Aldrich might have gotten legal advice to claim to be non-binary in order to avoid hate crime charges on top of murder.

This video sparked a plethora of reactions on Twitter, with some people agreeing with Camerota while others criticise CNN for misgendering the shooter multiple times and accusing them of making up their non-binary identity.

If the Colorado murderer is non-binary you know what that changes? Fucking nothing. Still a disaffected young white person with easy access to weapons of mass killing, and law enforcement who did nothing even when the red flags were waving last year. This is a distraction only.

— Megs (@the_meghaning) November 23, 2022

Amidst the internet discourse, Colorado's "red flag" gun law has been another subject of debate. The law, which took effect in 2020, allows access to guns to be removed from anyone that is deemed to be dangerous to themselves or others.

According to authorities, Aldrich was arrested in 2021 for allegedly threatening their mother with a homemade bomb, which should've caused the "red flag" to be raised, yet the suspect still had access to weapons. Gun control advocates argue that this is a case of the law being ignored, which could have potentially prevented the Club Q attack.

The tragedy also brings up other cases around the world in which homophobia is thriving, adding to the danger constantly surrounding the LGBTQ+ community. Conversations surrounding the FIFA World Cup are also coming to the surface after the organisation threatened on-field punishment for players that wear "One Love" armbands in support of inclusion and equality.

The attack in Colorado Springs brings forth the conversation regarding the violence that follows the queer community every day simply because of their existence, and begs governments globally to do something about it before more people end up hurt.

Resources in support of the LGBTQ+ community can be found on Transgender Equality Network Ireland and LGBT Ireland. To help those effected by the Colorado Springs shooting, Club Q posted an official link from a state run organisation to aid victims; patrons can donate here.