COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — It was the night of November 19, 2022, when a shooter walked into Club Q near North Academy Boulevard and North Carefree Circle and opened fire.
Five people were killed: Ashley Paugh, Daniel Aston, Derrick Rump, Raymond Green Vance and Kelly Loving. Another 25 people were injured.
This week, a viewer reached out asking why we continue covering Club Q three years later, suggesting it was time to let it be.
Why are we still telling these stories?
We’re not revisiting this tragedy to resurface pain or sensationalize what happened. We’re doing it to ensure the victims and the survivors who are still healing are never forgotten.
It's also to honor their bravery and to show how this community continues to come together to rebuild.
“It’s been kinda hard to come down here so often,” said Adriana Vance, Raymond's mother.
News5 met her at Prism Community Collective, where one of the rooms is dedicated to her son, Raymond.
The room is filled wall-to-wall with photos, handwritten notes and pieces of Raymond’s life. It's a reminder of the 22-year-old who loved to make people laugh, dance and eat.
“He was just very funny. He loved to dance. He would keep me up with all the latest dances," said Vance.
She says Raymond was always the first one to eat, the first one to finish.
His grandmother, Estella Bell, says that’s how she remembers him, a carefree, joyful person always ready to help.
“He had no worries in the world. He was always there for everybody… including my neighbors," said Bell.
But, the warmth of those memories is shadowed by the pain of that tragic night.
Adriana remembers getting the call from Raymond’s then-girlfriend.
“She was already at the hospital. She told me they couldn’t find Raymond," said Vance.
She says processing those memories remains incredibly difficult.
“I just can’t believe the time has flown by that fast… right now I’m just numb,” said Vance.
She says the past three years have felt like an emotional roller coaster, but the support of friends, neighbors, and Prism Community Collective has helped her move forward.
“All the support from everybody made it easier to get through," said Vance.
Even though Raymond is no longer physically here, his presence fills the room.
Vance says if she had one more moment with her son, she knows exactly what she would do.
“If he’s here in front of me, this time… I would never let him go," said Vance.
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