A man is hospitalized in critical condition after a shooting at a popular LGBTQ public bath in Pittsburgh last Friday.
Pittsburgh ABC affiliate reports that around 2:15 a.m. on Nov. 22, officers responded to Club Pittsburgh in the 1100 block of Penn Avenue for a report of a man brandishing a weapon and threatening people. Police and paramedics were called to the scene. WTAE.
When officers arrived at the 18+ private club, they found a man on the fourth floor with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest and torso.
the police said CBS News The victim, who has not been identified, was intubated and will need several surgeries to survive.
The alleged shooter, 55-year-old William Samuels, is being held in the Allegheny County Jail, charged with attempted murder, terroristic threats and simple assault.
Police recovered a gun from the club. This incident is still under investigation.
Samuels told police he was homeless and had rented a room for himself and his girlfriend at Club Pittsburgh due to the weather. He is said to have secretly brought a gun into the club under his thick coat.
Samuels also told police he thought he heard his girlfriend screaming for help in the other room. He grabbed a gun and shot a man as he tried to break into the room, then pointed the gun at six other guests before police arrived and arrested him.
Club Pittsburgh is a multi-level, 24/7 club with a sex shop, gym, sauna, darkroom, and rooftop deck. It’s been a staple of Pittsburgh’s Strip District since 2001.
“Our top priority has always been to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our community, and the destruction of this space by an act of gun violence is heartbreaking,” club management posted. did. facebook.
They further added, “We are committed to thoroughly reevaluating our safety, security, and admission protocols to ensure the health of everyone who enters our doors…” Ta. Please know that we are dedicated to strengthening Club Pittsburgh as a space where everyone feels safe and valued. ”
Local LGBTQ community leaders were shocked by the violent shooting.
“Club Pittsburgh has been around for a really long time,” Lindsay Schickler, executive director of nearby Proud Haven, a lodging facility for LGBTQ youth, told WTAE. “For our community, this is a very well-known part of the city, and we are horrified that those who were there looking for joy ended up in fear.”
Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
