Police in Asheville, North Carolina, shot and killed a man who allegedly opened fire on a gay bar from its parking lot after being kicked out of the establishment.
Shakey’s — which markets itself as a “gay dive bar for drag, karaoke, DJs, cheap drinks, patio hangs, dance parties, and late-night pizza” — said in a statement posted to Instagram that an individual “whose behavior caused concern” was asked to leave the bar during the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 15. He was later seen with a gun in the bar’s parking lot.
When staff and customers became aware of the armed man, they locked the doors, called 911, and followed the dispatcher’s instructions, moving everyone away from the windows and onto the floor. Gunshots were then fired outside the bar.
Asheville police officers arrived at the scene and returned fire, striking the man, who later died from his injuries, according to a post on the department’s official Facebook page. No officers were injured in the altercation.
In accordance with protocol, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation will investigate the officer-involved shooting. No additional information, including the name of the man who was killed, has been released.
Shakey’s confirmed that no staff members or customers were injured in the shooting. The bar reopened for regular business on Wednesday afternoon.
“For almost four years, Shakey’s has been a place where people come to feel safe, welcomed, and part of a community,” the bar wrote on Instagram. “Our hearts are with everyone who was there last night. Even when no one is physically hurt, experiences like this leave people shaken, and we know many of our staff, customers, neighbors, and first responders are still processing what happened today.”
A new report from SafeHome.org, a home and personal security assessment firm, ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on how safe they are for the LGBTQ community.
Thirteen states earned "A" grades for LGBTQ safety based on their comprehensive pro-equality laws and low rates of hate crimes against LGBTQ people. At the other end of the spectrum, six states received "F" grades due to discriminatory laws and high rates of hate crimes targeting LGBTQ people.
The rankings were based on a composite score combining a law score and a hate crime score, which were translated into a final letter grade.
Drake Von, an adult content creator best known for his gay and bisexual-themed videos, was arrested on June 2 in Las Vegas for allegedly attempting to strangle a domestic partner.
Von, whose real name is Dawson Bacon, was charged with domestic battery by strangulation and coercion constituting domestic violence through the threat or use of physical force, according to court records obtained by TMZ. He also faces a misdemeanor domestic battery charge.
Von was held in a Las Vegas jail following his arrest but was reportedly released after posting a $25,246 bond.
Editor's note: This article contains graphic descriptions that may upsetting to readers.
The woman described as the "ringleader" in the killing of transgender man Sam Nordquist in upstate New York has pleaded guilty to state charges, agreeing to a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Precious Arzuaga, 40, faced 11 charges, including first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree conspiracy, first-degree aggravated sexual abuse, and concealment of a corpse for her role in holding Nordquist captive, torturing him inside a Hopewell motel room, and disposing of his body in the winter of 2025.
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