A shooter opened fire at an LGBTQ nightclub late on Saturday in Colorado Springs, killing at least 5 people and wounding at least 25 more.
The authorities quickly arrived on the scene at Club Q, made the identification of the culprit, Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, and brought him into prison soon after their arrival. The rationale behind the shooter’s actions and whether or not this was a hate crime are currently under investigation by the police.
This incident occurs exactly six years after the bloodiest attack on the LGBTQ community in contemporary U.S. history, which took place at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and resulted in the deaths of 49 people and injuries to 53 more.
The following is the current state of our knowledge of the incident in Colorado Springs.
Two Patrons Subdued The Gunman
According to the Chief of Police for the city of Colorado Springs, Adrian Vasquez, the shooter opened fire as soon as he entered the nightclub. At least two others assisted in bringing the armed suspect under control, which the chief hailed as a gallant effort.
During a press conference on Sunday, he made the remarks, “We owe them a great debt of thanks.”
According to Mayor John Suthers of Colorado Springs, who spoke with NPR about the incident, one of the patrons “took the handgun from the [shooter] and hit him with the handgun to disable him.”
On its Facebook page, Club Q said that the rapid responses of the patrons helped put a stop to the incident, which it referred to as a hate attack, and saved other individuals from being murdered or hurt.
According to the police, the initial contact was received at 11:57 p.m. local time, and following that, the first officer arrived at the scene three minutes later. At 12:02, the culprit was brought into custody.
The authorities discovered two guns, one of which was a long rifle that the gunman had used during the incident.
In the vicinity of Colorado Springs, the location known as Club Q plays home to dance parties, karaoke nights, and drag performances for those who are at least 18 years old.
Vasquez and Jared Polis, the governor of Colorado, have referred to the club as a “safe haven” for LGBTQ people residing in Colorado Springs.
At a ceremony held at a church on Sunday, Polis, who in 2018 made history by becoming the first openly gay person to be elected governor of the United States, stated that “Club Q has provided a safe haven for the LGBTQ community in an area where it hasn’t always been easy.” “It’s a place where we can get together, dance, and share our happiness with one another.”
A lieutenant with the Colorado Springs Police Department named Pamela Castro said that the department was caught aback by the occurrence since the nightclub in issue had not been known to be a problem place for the neighborhood prior to the incident.
