The sole LGBTQ club in Colorado Springs, the state’s second-most populous city with a little under 500,000 inhabitants, was Club Q when it first opened its doors in 2002.
According to several sources, a shooting at an LGBTQ club in Colorado left five people dead and another 18 wounded.
A person who was injured was discovered and is being held in jail, according to Colorado Springs Police Department spokesman Lt. Pamela Castro, who spoke during an early-morning news conference. This individual is believed to be the shooting suspect. In a subsequent news conference on Sunday morning, police released Anderson Lee Aldrich’s 22-year-old name as the suspect.
At least two weapons were discovered at the site, according to Chief Adrian Vasquez, who also verified that “the suspect utilised a long rifle during the shooting.”
At roughly 11:57 p.m. local time, Castro said that “officers promptly made entrance” into Club Q in response to calls. They did discover one person inside, who we believe to be the culprit.
According to Castro, the first cop was summoned to the club and reached there three minutes later, catching the suspect two minutes later.
Castro confirmed that the suspect was hurt as well and is now in police custody by saying, “The suspect is being treated at a nearby hospital.”
According to Castro, the number of fatalities “is subject to change as the inquiry progresses.”
The club’s Facebook page had the following statement: “Club Q is devastated by the senseless attack on our community. Our prayers and thoughts are with all the victims and their families and friends.”
According to Castro, local hospitals are assisting friends and relatives in locating people who were hurt at the club.
Mike Brookbank, a news anchor from Cleveland, wrote on Twitter: “Before coming out, bars and clubs like #ClubQ in Colorado Springs created an environment where I felt comfortable being myself. They’re places that create & celebrate community when you often feel lost and confused. When I lived in the Springs, I went to Club Q. I’m gutted.”
According to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more persons are shot and injured or killed, excluding the gunman, there have already been 601 mass shootings in the US in 2022.