A 22-year-old Chicago native was among the five people killed late Saturday night when a gunman stormed an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, authorities stated.
The attack at Club Q, which left 17 others with gunshot wounds, was halted when a patron grabbed a handgun from the suspect, hit him with it and pinned him down until police arrived minutes later, authorities said.
Among those who died was Raymond Vance Green, who went to the club to enjoy a show with his longtime girlfriend, her parents and her parents' friends. In a statement, family called Green, a Chicago native, a kind, selfless young adult with his entire life ahead of him.
"His closest friend describes him as gifted, one-of-a-kind, and willing to go out of his way to help anyone," they said in the statement. He had just gotten a new job at a Colorado Springs FedEx distribution center, and was thrilled to have received his first paycheck."
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While born in Chicago, Green spent his entire life in Colorado Springs and graduated from Sand Creek High School. His mother described him as a popular, well-liked young man who never got into trouble and had plenty of friends in school. He was also close with numerous family members, relatives said.
"His absence will leave irreparable heartbreak in countless lives," the family statement added, in part. "Raymond will be missed unbearably."
