Supporters buy beer from Army veteran who stopped the Club Q shooter
Colorado Springs, Colorado - Supporters across the country are expressing their gratitude to the Army veteran who restrained the alleged shooter at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ club by buying beer, T-shirts, and hoodies from his business.
Richard M. Fierro (45) has been lauded for springing to action during the shooting at Club Q that killed five and injured 18 last Saturday.
Fierro, a decorated Army veteran, was attending a drag show at the club with friends and family when the gunman opened fire with an AR-15 style rifle.
Fierro and other patrons, including one who used her high heels as a weapon, charged the shooter. Fierro tackled the gunman and beat him with his own gun.
John Suthers, mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado, said their quick action "saved a lot of lives."
The internet rallies to support the Fierro family
Pressed for a way to thank Fierro, whose story has been highlighted in national outlets, the internet did its thing.
On Twitter and Instagram, the account Quentin Quarantino – a popular meme and crowdfunding account with a million Instagram followers – posted that Fierro and his wife, Jess, own a brewery called Atrevida Beer Co. Jess and their daughter Kassandra are still recovering from injuries sustained Saturday night. Kassandra’s boyfriend, Raymond Green Vance, was killed in the shooting.
"The veteran hero who subdued the gunman at Club Q owns an award-winning Brewery called Atrevida Beer in Colorado," Marcus tweeted Monday night. "It has a merch shop and gift cards. Wouldn't it be a shame if we bought every single thing they had in their entire inventory?"
The post has been liked nearly 11,000 times. Public figures, like lawyer and activist Meena Harris (who is also Vice President Kamala Harris' niece), shared posts about buying Atrevida merch.
Twitter users flooded the replies announcing what they bought from Atrevida's store. Some got T-shirts and leggings; others bought beer or gift cards using the "store pickup" function and left notes requesting the goods be given to someone who could use it. They posted screenshots of receipts in a Twitter thread.
Jess Fierro is Colorado's first Latina head brewer
Before the shooting, Atrevida was known as a Latino-, woman-, and veteran-owned business. Jess, the head brewer, is the first Latina head brewer and brewery owner in Colorado, according to a profile in the Colorado Springs Business Journal. She formed her local chapter of the Pink Boots Society – a national group for women and nonbinary people in the beer industry. Richard is also Latino.
The brewery’s slogan, which is printed on several articles of clothing available on their website, is "Diversity, it’s on tap!" The beer industry is historically disproportionately white, straight, and male. Atrevida says on its website that the majority of its employees are women and Latino.
The beer community is also showing the Fierro family and Atrevida its support.
Lady Justice Brewing Company, Latina-founded, LGBTQ+, and woman-owned brewery out of Aurora, Colorado, announced it will host a fundraiser Sunday for Club Q where attendees could write postcards to send to Atrevida. The Colorado Brewers Guild encouraged its Instagram followers to support Atrevida. FemAle Brew Fest, a Florida-based beer festival celebrating women in the industry, encouraged its followers to buy Atrevida merch.
On Instagram and Facebook, the brewery's profiles have been flooded with thank-you notes.
"We are going through a lot of emotions as a family and as a brewery," Jess wrote in public Facebook and Instagram posts from the brewery's account.
"The loss of lives and the injured are in our hearts. We are devastated and torn. We love our #lgbtq community and stand with them. This cowardly and despicable act of hate has no room in our lives or business... It has left us and our community scarred but not broken. Much love to everyone."
Cover photo: Collage: REUTERS