Colorado shooting: At least five people were killed and 25 others were hurt when a shooter entered a homosexual nightclub in Colorado Springs. The shooter was eventually taken down by “heroic” club patrons, according to authorities.
Police stated that they were looking into whether the incident had a hate-related motive.
Anderson Lee Aldrich has been named as the suspect. Shortly after the gunfire started, Anderson, who was armed with a long rifle, was taken into police custody and was reportedly receiving medical attention.
The shooting brought to mind the 2016 Orlando, Florida, Pulse nightclub tragedy, in which a shooter opened fire and killed 49 people before being shot dead by police.
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About the incident
It happened as LGBTQ communities and supporters worldwide prepared to observe Transgender Day of Remembrance on Sunday, a yearly commemoration to remember those who have lost their lives to acts of transphobic violence.
Many people referred to Club Q, a long-running establishment in a tiny strip mall, as a safe haven for the LGBTQ population in Colorado’s second-largest city.
The rapid action of police enforcement and the bravery of at least two guests who interfered allowed the suspect, who was armed with a rifle, a military-style flak jacket, and what seemed to be six magazines of ammo, to be captured within minutes.
When telling reporters that he was dancing in the club when he first heard gunfire, one customer, Joshua Thurman, choked up. He went to a dressing room, shut himself in with others, and prayed for his life and his loved ones.
All of it was heard, Thurman claimed. “More gunshots were heard. We overheard the attacker getting beat up by someone who I believe tackled him. We could hear the police entering. We overheard them screaming at him. They said, “Take some people because they’re critical,” which we overheard.”
Authorities reported that several of the injured were receiving treatment at nearby hospitals and were in critical condition.
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President Biden: US must not tolerate hate
Biden said, “Americans must not tolerate hate. Places that are supposed to be safe spaces of acceptance and celebration should never be turned into places of terror and violence.”
Jared Polis, the governor of Colorado and the nation’s first openly homosexual politician, referred to the massacre as a “senseless act of evil.”
In a video appearance during a vigil held at a nearby church, Polis remarked, “I feel that same pit in my stomach that so many of you do today, a feeling sadly all too familiar.”
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