In a solemn gathering under the fading sunlight in Tucson, approximately 1,000 people assembled to pay tribute to two men from the local community. These men, tragically killed in an incident that police have classified as a hate crime, were remembered during a heartfelt vigil.
Vincent Anthony Siqueiros, aged 42, and Cameron Davis Capara, 33, were victims of a fatal shooting that took place just after midnight on Monday outside the Venture-N bar.
On Wednesday evening, community members gathered in Catalina Park, setting up a small stage on the grass. The crowd, holding thin white candles, exchanged embraces and shed tears as they mourned the loss.
Kate Márquez, sister of Vincent Siqueiros, addressed the attendees with tears in her eyes, describing her brother as a proud gay man.
“He was brave enough to live authentically in a world that sometimes told him his authentic self was unacceptable. He chose love anyway,” she expressed.
Márquez emphasized the dangers of hatred evolving into violence, stating, “That demands something of each and every one of us, because hate does not begin with a gun, it begins much earlier.” She highlighted the importance of the words and actions we choose.
A photo of Siqueiros beamed with his signature smile and black-rimmed glasses, while another portrayed Capara in a press vest with a camera, capturing his passion as a local photographer who chronicled protests and activism.
Jeff Capara, father of Cameron Davis Capara, shared memories of his son, calling him “one of the most compassionate people” he knew. “He cared deeply about people in Tucson, or those thousands of miles away. People who were marginalized, overlooked or misunderstood,” he recounted.
Among the attendees was Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, who reminded the crowd of the park’s historical significance as a memorial for Philip Walsted, a victim of a 2002 hate crime.
Romero assured the community of her support, stating, “As your mayor, I will always stand up for the rights, dignity and safety of our LGBTQ+ Tucsonans. No estan solo,” she reassured. “You are not alone.”
The Tucson police have confirmed the shooting as a “targeted attack motivated by hate toward the LGBTQIA+ community.”
Authorities reported that the suspect, 44-year-old Ousman Ceesay, had a list of LGBTQ-linked businesses and a note expressing anti-community sentiments. Ceesay died from a self-inflicted gunshot following the attack.
