NORFOLK, Va. — The news of a transgender man shooting and killing six people has sparked fear in the LGBTQ+ community who say they now fear there's a target on their back.
Lauren Burroughs says she identifies as a couple of things aside from a transgender woman. She's an attorney for Virginia Beach and a father of four kids.
She says from her perspective, it's easy to see how such a tragic shooting can spark outrage towards her and other community members.
"And I really hope it doesn't spill out into further hatred for the community, but sadly I think that's an inevitable possibility. People are angry and upset and I think someone who might not agree with our lifestyle could harm us," says Burroughs
While it's a possibility that the LGBTQ+ community could be targeted, Burroughs believes trans people and drag queens could be majorly targeted.
"I'm a very visibly trans person and I do that on purpose because I know that a lot of people can't be. So the difference, I think that people who are trans - isn't that they're hated more or disliked more but they're more visible because if you're gay, no one has to know unless you make them aware," says Burroughs.
In recent years, the LGBTQ+ community has been a target for violence. Some instances including the Colorado Springs Nightclub shooting in November and the Pulse Nightclub Shooting.
Christian Almas, who identifies as gay and a drag queen says this most shooting involving a person of the LGBTQ+ hasn't been seen too often.
"This is a rare event for it to happen and since it happened, we are going to hold that on our backs and we are going to get through this," says Almas.
On April 29, he and other members of the LGBTQ+ community have an organized Proud and Pride Protest happening in Town Point Park.
But news of this most recent mass shooting has both Almas and Burroughs concerned.
"I do believe that people will say it's act of hate," says Almas.
Both Burroughs and Almas say in this case, it's easy to point a finger to a person or a group of people who live a similar lifestyle.
However, they both believe that the solution isn't violence, it's change. A change of law, and maybe even a change of mindset.
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