Several LGBTQ bars targeted with pellet gun in Hillcrest

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/several-lgbtq-bars-targeted-pellet-guns-hillcrest/509-514ddfd7-2cdd-4d9b-86e8-2504457493f8

This is the result of the hate campaign driven by fundamentalist Christian bigots and their thug troops. They are calling these nonlethal rounds but they can seriously injure, cause blindness, or cause lift time serious problems. This is terrorism. They want to force gay people back in the closet, these thugs want the LGBTQ+ out of the public and out of society. They glorify what Putin has done to gay people in Russia. Hugs. Scottie

San Diego Police say Rich’s, The Rail, #1 on Fifth Avenue and PECS in the Hillcrest and North Park neighborhoods were hit by the suspect early Saturday morning.

Author: Katy Stegall, Steve Fiorina

Published: 10:36 PM PDT May 19, 2024

Updated: 11:18 PM PDT May 19, 2024

Several people were hit with non-lethal rounds after at least four LGBTQ bars were shot at with a pellet gun early Saturday morning.

According to San Diego Police, they received reports of a pellet gun being fired out of a vehicle just after 1 a.m. Saturday morning. As of Sunday evening, the locations police could confirm were shot by the assailant were Rich’s, The Rail, #1 on Fifth Avenue and PECS in the Hillcrest and North Park neighborhoods. Witnesses told CBS 8 it appeared to be a BMW, but police have not released an official suspect or vehicle description.

CBS 8 spoke with victims from Rich’s and The Rail after the incidences. They said they’re glad it wasn’t worse.

Rich’s in Hillcrest

Eddie Reynoso is a host at Rich’s. He was standing outside and turned when he heard someone yelling expletives at the patrons outside the bar. Reynoso saw what he believed to be an AK-47 and hear myriad rounds being shot off.

He tried to crouch but it was too late.

“I get hit directly in the eye,” he said. ” I feel something kinda like explode almost like something popped. And by then I was already falling to the ground. In my mind, I thought I just got shot through the eye and my eye just flew out.”

He said it wasn’t the first time Rich has been the target of a crime like this. And he’s confident it won’t be the last.

A man named Abel was also hit with at least five pellets at Rich’s. He said he’s glad everyone is safe.

“It was still scary,” he said. “It was traumatic.”

The Rail in Hillcrest

Donny Hurry is a security guard at The Rail. He said he saw someone shooting out of the car’s back window. The suspect started shooting at him, and he ducked into the building before he realized it wasn’t a real gun.

Hurry had been hit in the arms and back multiple times but tried to run back out to get a description of the suspect of the vehicle.

Stefano Contreras was outside of The Rail early Saturday morning. He said he was smoking outside when he felt the rounds hit his back and skin his eyebrow.

Izan Corso who was also at The Rail that night said this was a violation of a safe space for the LGBTQ community.

“This is obviously a safe space,” he said. “So the fact that people can just come in from outside and sort of make it feel unsafe is just unfortunate.“

It is unknown at this time if the non-lethal rounds were bearing balls or paintballs. San Diego Police are investigating the myriad incidences from Saturday morning. Officials cannot say yet whether this was related to anti-LGBTQ political beliefs.

Multiple People Shot With Pellet Gun Outside Four San Diego LGBTQ Nightclubs, Police Seek Suspects [VIDEO]

Read the full article. A doorman at Rich’s says he was hit in the face with a pellet after hearing slurs shouted from the car. According to witnesses, the gun resembled an AK-47. Watch the video reports below.

Larry Fox a day ago

This kind of hate has never happened to this extent in my lifetime.
Our country has become a piece of shit right before our eyes

Sister_Bertrille Larry Foxa day ago

It has been worse (lynchings, “fag bashings,” etc.), but it’s not supposed to get worse after it’s been getting better. The backsliding is terrifying.

Commander Sister_Bertrillea day ago

Ščŏŧŧ Ċ – 🇺🇦 🕊 Sister_Bertrille21 hours ago

Germany was relatively liberal before the Nazis came to power.
I see some alarming comparisons to the US, today.

another_steve Larry Foxa day ago

I’ve been out for a long time and have witnessed quite a lot — going back to 1970s NYC. I think we’re indeed entering new territory here.

Here in the states there’s a major political party that’s given license to the worst bigots, the most violent criminals. Their leader — a monstrous bigot himself — has a chance of getting back into the White House.

Scary times, these.