Michael I. Travis (L) and Dr. Michael R. Travis (R) place a flag at a memeorial for the victims of a mass shooting at Club Q, an LGBTQ nightclub, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on November 20, 2022. - At least five people were killed and 18 wounded in a mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in the US city of Colorado Springs, police said on November 20, 2022. (Photo by Jason Connolly / AFP) (Photo by JASON CONNOLLY/AFP via Getty Images)
A gunman shot up a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs with a semiautomatic rifle Saturday night, killing five and leaving another 25 injured before being subdued by a “heroic” patron, who held him down until police arrived minutes later.
The 22-year-old suspect, identified as Anderson Lee Aldrich, opened fire with an AR-15-style gun inside Club Q. Police also recovered a handgun and additional ammunition at the scene, according to the Associated Press.
While the victims have yet to be publicly identified, two Club Q bartenders were among the five victims killed Saturday night at the popular LGBTQ+ nightclub, according to a co-worker and social media pages.
The outlet cited an official close to the investigation who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers told the AP that the deadly attack only ended after a patron grabbed a gun from the suspect before hitting him with it and pinning him down until authorities arrived.
“Had that individual not intervened this could have been exponentially more tragic,” Suthers said.
The club is calling it a “hate attack” on its Facebook page, while investigators say they continue to determine an exact motive and whether or not to prosecute it as a hate crime, said El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen.
However, charges against the suspect will likely include first-degree murder, he added. Aldrich remains in custody and was being treated for injuries, the AP reports.
Authorities say that seven of the 25 injured remain in critical condition, with many being injured as they tried to flee the chaotic scene. It’s still unclear whether all of the injured victims received gunshot wounds, according to a police spokesperson.
Authorities said Aldrich has a recent history of criminal and antisocial behavior. Just last year, he was arrested after his mother reported he threatened her with a homemade bomb and other weapons, however they declined to elaborate further on that arrest.
A three-hour standoff with SWAT teams ensued, however no explosives were ultimately found, authorities said at the time.
Meanwhile, The Gazette in Colorado Springs reported that prosecutors did not pursue any charges and that records have since been sealed.
More information about the alleged shooter has emerged in the wake of the tragic shooting.
Aldrich is reportedly the grandson to Republican San Diego Representative Randy Voepel, who was a supporter of the January 6, 2021 insurrection, per reports.
Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting and the FBI was assisting police with the investigation.
Meanwhile, the site of the horrific mass shooting Club Q, is a gay and lesbian nightclub that features a drag show on Saturdays, according to its website.
Club Q’s Facebook page said planned entertainment for the night in question included a “punk and alternative show” following a birthday dance party, alongside a all-ages drag brunch Sunday.
Officials noted the club had operated for 21 years and had not reported any threats prior to Saturday’s attack.
In order for Aldrich to be charged with a hate crime, prosecutors would have to prove he was motivated by the victims’ actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
Thus far, he has reportedly remained uncooperative in interviews with investigators, and has yet to provide any real insight as to the motivation behind the attack, according to the official who spoke on to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
On the same day as the nightclub attack, a gay bar in Hell’s Kitchen had its windows broken with a rock three times in a week’s span, ABC 7 reports.
Back in 2016, The Shade Room reported on the deadly Orlando gay night club shooting, which left 50 dead and another 50 wounded.
