By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, Sept 1 (Reuters) – Police in Tucson, Arizona, said they were probing a deadly shooting outside a gay bar as a hate crime after a suspect fatally shot two people and later died himself shortly after reaching hospital.
DETAILS:
• Police said when they arrived at the scene of the shooting, they found three men who had been shot, two of whom were pronounced dead at the scene.
• The two deceased male victims at the scene were identified as 42-year-old Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and 33-year-old Cameron Davis Capara, the police said in a statement.
• The third male, who was believed to be the shooter, was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and was pronounced deceased shortly after arriving at the hospital, police said.
• The suspect had a gunshot wound but the police did not immediately release more details about the manner of his death.
• The suspect was identified as Ousman Ceesay, 44, police said.
• “The suspect was in possession of a note with several LGBTQIA+ associated businesses written on it,” police said. “The Tucson Police Department is currently investigating this homicide as a hate crime.”
• Initial evidence suggested that the suspect confronted the victims in the parking lot of the Venture-N bar and shot them, police said, adding that there was no active threat to the community.
• “Learning the gunman was targeting LGBTQ+ friendly businesses is both chilling and enraging, and yet another dangerous example of the hate and bigotry that makes all Americans less safe,” Human Rights Campaign, the largest U.S. LGBTQ advocacy organization, said in a statement.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
