Club Q shooting victims experiencing financial hardship call for release of funds

Feb. 14—A puckered bullet wound on the underside of Ashtin Gamblin's bicep leads to a tattoo on her wrist, which says, "I'm fine" — a hideous ode to the physical and psychological injuries experienced in a mass shooting.

Gamblin hasn't worked since she was "bombarded by a gun" while minding the front door of Colorado Springs' Club Q Nov. 19.

The wife of a Fort Carson soldier — who was deployed when the shooting happened — said she's battled a fight of her own, struggling to get reimbursed by survivors' compensation nonprofit organizations for small things, such as vet bills for her therapy cat.

"I have been through immeasurable hell the past three months," she said at a press conference on the west steps of the Colorado state Capitol on Valentine's Day on Tuesday.

Though it was nerve-wracking to go public for the first time, Gamblin was buoyed by around twenty other victims of other Colorado mass killings who sat in chairs around her and shared stories of financial hardship.

The group gathered to call attention to what some say has become a sordid industry.

"People are making money off of mass murder from Orlando to Colorado," said VictimsFirst Co-Founder Dr. Zachary Blair. "We want to keep it from happening in the Club Q shooting."

Club Q employees complained that, though they've made some money from various fundraisers, they haven't seen a penny from a GoFundMe set up by the nightclub's owner.

"Matthew Haynes needs to release our money. We know what's best," said Gamblin.

This is not the first time victims of mass shootings in Colorado have said they're being denied funds meant for them. Some have criticized the way millions of dollars in funds given by donors have been distributed ever since the Aurora theater shooting.

After several privately-operated online appeals for victims' relief money began popping up following the Nov. 19 mass shooting, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis asked that people donate to the Colorado Healing Fund as the official fundraiser to benefit victims.

Some people — including victims of other mass shootings — criticized the Colorado Healing Fund, the nonprofit organization created in 2018 as a secure way for the public to contribute to victims of mass casualty crimes statewide. But some are critical of the organization for using 10% of donations on expenses, such as an executive director salary and office-related spending.

In response, the healing fund sought and secured anonymous underwriters to pay for the administrative costs for the Club Q tragedy fundraising.

As of Friday, the Colorado Healing Fund has collected $2.2 million in donations and has distributed $1,923,500 to benefit victims, according to Executive Director Jordan Finegan.

The organization's model, which was created by leading experts in incident response to evaluate best practices, addresses short-term, intermediate and long-term needs of victims, she said.

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The money is disbursed through the fund's partner, the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance, which releases cash to victims' families, survivors of the incident and those immediately affected by the tragedies.

Several Club Q employees who showed up at the press conference expressed anger with longtime club owner Matthew Haynes. They said that Haynes has not made good on a promise to disperse money earmarked for them by well-meaning donors.

"Everybody is struggling. Matthew said he was going to take care of us. Staff listened to him, but by the second month, we were drowning in bills," said Hysteria Brooks, who produced two shows a week at Club Q.

Brooks said that he and 15 other Club Q employees have not seen a penny from the official Club Q GoFundMe that Haynes set up days after the shooting.

But according to a fresh statement made by Haynes on the GoFundMe page, financial relief is just days away.

He announced Tuesday that he will distribute lost wages in a lump sum to "former Club Q employees and third-party entertainer contractors" from money donated to the GoFundMe and various other fundraisers.

In an interview Jan. 25, Haynes told the Denver Gazette that he will make payouts through a formula that takes an average of net earnings from what employees would have made in November, December and January while the club was closed.

Haynes said that at least one of the contractors who hadn't been performing there long made less than $200.

"What is the definition of a victim?" he asked.

He said he's also had problems with fraudulent people claiming to be collecting money for victims who had to be shut down.

Haynes noted that Club Q is on track to fully reopen by fall.

"Our goal is to return the club back to the community as soon as possible," Haynes said.

Some patrons of Club Q, whom Haynes is counting on to return as regulars when it reopens, are speaking out in support of the employees.

"Money from whatever sources should be released immediately," said Mason Camp.

"Many victims and employees are struggling to pay bills, put gas in their car, keep their lights on, even eat each day," Camp said. "I personally know multiple victims who are struggling to recover financially, as well as get through their day-to-day mentally."

Brooks questioned how much of Hayne's GoFundMe's $55,000 will go to former staff and how much will go toward rebuilding Club Q. He said he believes staff members and contractors should get at least 75% of the total, which at this point would be divvied up from around $41,000.

"Without the people, Club Q is just a building with four walls and a roof," Brooks said. "People should come before businesses."

Five people were killed and 19 were injured in the attack on Club Q.

VictimsFirst, announced Jan. 3 that it is forming a National Mass Shooting Victims Fund and promised to give 100% directly to victims with no administration fee. The group said the fund will assist with emergency financial needs for mass casualty crime victims.

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