A central focus of both lawsuits was the El Paso County commissioners’ and the then sheriff’s refusal to enforce Colorado’s red flag law passed in 2019, which allows law enforcement to temporary take someone’s firearm if they are deemed a threat to themselves or others.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuits include survivor Barrett Hudson, who still has three bullets in his body from that night, other victims and relatives.

Victim families and survivors of the November 2022 Club Q mass shooting filed two lawsuits against the El Paso County commissioners, the former sheriff and Club Q management, alleging the killings could have been prevented if the sheriff’s office used Colorado's red flag law and if there were greater protections in place at Club Q.