Colorado Springs police identify mass shooting victims using proper names and pronouns
Police chief Adrian Vasquez gives an update about the Club Q shooting investigation at the Police Operations Center in Colorado Springs. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Colorado Springs police chief Adrian Vasquez made a rare effort for law enforcement on Monday (21 November) when he read out the names and pronouns of those killed in the horrifying Club Q shooting.
On Saturday (19 November), five people were killed and at least 25 injured after a shooter, named by police as 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich, opened fire in an LGBTQ+ venue.
“Kelly Loving. Kelly’s pronouns are she/her. Daniel Aston. Daniel’s pronouns are he/him. Derrick Rump. Derrick’s pronouns are he/him,” Vasquez said, continuing the list in a press conference.
The efforts were mirrored in a series of tweets by the department identifying the victims, which also included their pronouns.
Thank you for using their pronouns. I’m sure it means a great deal to their families.
— Fully vaccinated (@Godlesswh_re) November 22, 2022
A small gesture by Colorado Springs police, but not insignificant
Last week, Human Rights Campaign released a report illuminating data that the organisation has collected on the epidemic of violence against trans and gender non-conforming people in the US.
Since 2013, the report found that 70 per cent of those killed were initially misgendered by the media and/or police.
Sometimes, the damage is prolonged: Last year, a trans woman named Jenna Franks was continually misgendered by police and media despite efforts to correct the inaccuracy.
The Colorado police department’s spokesperson, Pamela Castro, said that the decision to include pronouns in this announcement was simple.
“For us there was not a lot of discussion about how we were going to identify the victims, because we all agreed from the beginning we would use their names and pronouns,” Castro told The Washington Post.
“It simply came down to showing them the respect they deserve by identifying them using the names they and their loved ones used.”
While Castro says it was simple for the police department to reach this conclusion, it is still surprising given how complicated law enforcement and media often make it.
“A wonderful and welcomed surprise, but it is also a shame because this is a no-brainer,” Imara Jones, founder of TransLash Media, said.
“This should be the norm, without exception. If we want to show respect for the dead, we should go by the name they used in their lives. It’s not that complicated.”
Court reports from Monday confirm Aldrich is facing five murder charges and five charges of committing a bias-motivated, or hate crime.
