A 22-year-old gunman killed five people and wounded 18 more at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs before “heroic” patrons stopped his rampage.
Summary
A 22-year-old gunman killed five people and wounded 18 more at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs before “heroic” patrons stopped his rampage.
- Police recovered two firearms, including a “long rifle,” from Club Q, the gay nightclub apparently targeted in the Saturday night attack.
- The suspect in what Club Q called a “hate attack”, identified as Anderson Lee Aldrich, was taken into police custody within minutes after patrons subdued the suspect.
- The Colorado Springs police chief said “at least two heroic people” confronted the suspect and stopped the shooting.
- At a Sunday press conference, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said, “We are a strong community that has shown resilience in the face of hate and violence in the past, and we will do so again.”
- In a statement published on Facebook, Club Q expressed thanks for “the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”
- The White House released a statement from President Joe Biden in the aftermath of the attack. “While no motive in this attack is yet clear, we know that the LGBTQI+ community has been subjected to horrific hate violence in recent years. Gun violence continues to have a devastating and particular impact on LGBTQI+ communities across our nation and threats of violence are increasing,” Biden said.”
- NBC News reported the suspected shooter was injured in the attack. He was hospitalized after being apprehended by local police.
- The New York Times noted police received an initial call about a shooting at Club Q at 11:56 pm, and within six minutes the suspect was taken into custody.
- The New York Post reported police are investigating the suspect’s motive as they weigh charging him with hate crimes.
- Fox News wrote the suspect was previously on police radar in 2021. He was arrested for allegedly making bomb threats against two Colorado Springs homes.
- Breitbart noted Colorado previously adopted a series of gun control measures in response to other mass shootings, including: background checks on private gun sales, a red flag law, a ban on “high capacity” magazines, and gun storage requirements.
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© Dominic Moore, 2022
