The horrific mass shooting at the Club Q nightclub in Colorado Springs last December not only claimed the lives of five people, but inflicted both physical and psychological injuries on patrons and workers alike. Now, the workers who were there the night of the shooting are having significant difficulties in acquiring relief funds from club owner Matthew Haynes.
According to Colorado Newsline, a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign established in the wake of the shooting raised more than $55,000 from donors. However, employees have received fewer than $1000 from the fundraiser, which hardly makes up for the 3 months of lost wages from the club’s closure. What adds to the difficulty in obtaining funds is that Matthew Haynes runs the club remotely from the United Kingdom, where he is based.
Ashtin Gamblin, who suffered nine gunshot wounds in both arms that night – and who credits her survival to club patron Daniel Aston, who stood between her and the gunman – told Colorado Newsline she only received $981. Her only other source of income is a paltry $183 in workers’ compensation every two weeks. This is despite Haynes promising staff they would be made whole for 3 months of lost wages.
“It wasn’t my owners that called my husband or my mother,” Gamblin said. “They didn’t come see me in the hospital. They didn’t try … There’s a lot of disconnect with how they sound like they want to look like they care, but there isn’t that full connection of them actually caring.”
According to Gamblin’s calculations, it would only take approximately $10,000 of the $55,000 that was donated in order to make employees whole. The reason for Haynes’ refusal to pay employees for the lost wages remains unknown, as he did not return Colorado Newsline’s requests for comment on the issue.
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The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado 