LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — The shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado has left some in Palm Beach County's gay community feeling uneasy about their safety.
"Just owning a bar in general is a security concern," Ron Amodio, owner of the Mad Hatter Lounge in Lake Worth Beach, which caters to the gay community, said. "We've been fortunate our patrons are fairly regular, and thank goodness we've had no problems."
Across town at Compass Community Center, an organization that offers services to the LGBTQ community, the news of the shooting came during an alter solemn weekend.
"To wake up on Sunday, Transgender Day of Remembrance, the news of the Colorado shooting was devastating," Compass CEO Julie Seaver said.
Seaver said the shooting is a byproduct of an increase in hate speech and threats, mostly online.
"We can't blame just one person or blame it on mental health or the lack of common sense," she said. "Gun control, the current political environment of hate and discrimination is the root cause of the shooting."