Tucson, Arizona, police investigate gay bar shooting as a possible hate crime; 3 dead

Police in Arizona say a shooting at a Tucson gay bar that left three people dead, including the shooter, is being investigated as a possible hate crime. Vincent Anthony Siqueiros, 42, and Cameron Davis Capara, 33, were shot in the parking lot of Venture-N shortly after midnight Monday, and both died at the scene, the Tucson Police Department said. The suspect, Ousman Ceesay, 44, was pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to the department. Ceesay was carrying a note that listed several LGBTQIA+-associated businesses, according to a police news release, and initial evidence suggests Ceesay confronted the two victims in the parking lot before shooting them both. The investigation is ongoing, but there is no known active threat to the community, police said.

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Scoop News DeskTucson, Arkansas · Published Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 9:25 PM UTCUpdated Wednesday, September 2, 2026 at 3:19 AM UTC

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Flowers, candles and photos marked a growing memorial to Siqueiros and Capara outside the bar Tuesday, and several community groups, including Tucson Queerstory, Southern Arizona Senior Pride and the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation, were planning a candlelight vigil for Wednesday night at a local park. “Venture-N has been a safe haven, a sanctuary, and a place of comfort for Tucson’s queer community for decades,” PFLAG Phoenix wrote in a social media post. “This tragedy is a heavy and painful reminder of the homophobia and hate that still exists.” The shooting left members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies across the country shaken, stirring reminders of other fatal attacks, including July’s deadly Berlin Pride attack and the 2022 shooting at a nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, that left five people dead.

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