Five people were killed and 25 injured in a shooting at a gay, lesbian and trans community nightclub in the US city of Colorado Springs. A 22-year-old man entered the club armed with an assault rifle and a handgun and immediately began shooting, police said. He was assaulted by at least two guests and wound up in hospital. Doctors said many of the injured club-goers had life-threatening injuries. The accused shooter The New York Times Previously refused to speak to the police.
A police spokesman said inquiries were still ongoing into whether it was a hate crime. The FBI, the federal police active in such cases, also participates. The attack happened on the eve of Transgender Day, a day of remembrance for victims of transphobia. A transgender party was planned for the night with a drag show at the hit “Q” club.
According to police, a 22-year-old man entered the club armed with an assault rifle and a handgun and immediately began shooting. He didn’t say a word about it. Finally, the attacker is overwhelmed by a guest.
The guest was able to wrestle the gun from the man and assault him, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said. The New York Times. This guest “saved dozens of lives,” Matthew Haynes, one of the club’s owners, said at a memorial service planned on short notice. Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said the attack ended a minute later.
“Club Q is devastated by this senseless attack on our community,” the club’s Facebook page said. “We are grateful for the swift responses of the heroic guests who broke the gunfire and ended this hateful attack.”
It was initially unclear how many people were in the club when the crime took place. Police spokeswoman Pam Castro told a news conference that the investigation is still ongoing. Some wounds cannot come from shots, but from being crushed while fleeing. It is also likely that the number of injuries will be adjusted as some people go to hospitals in private vehicles instead of ambulances.
Numerous police cars with blue lights flashing around the club were seen on TV footage. Transmitter KRDO has one of the largest operations in Colorado Springs history. The police emphasized that there was a quick reaction: the first call came three minutes before midnight, and the suspect was already in custody at 0.02 am.
After police released the attacker’s name, it emerged that he had triggered the police operation last year by threatening his mother with a bomb, according to official documents. However, it is not yet clear what happened to the investigations against him at that time and how he got the weapons.
US President Joe Biden expressed his condolences to the victims and their families. He stressed that America’s gay, lesbian and trans community has experienced “terrible violence” in recent years. “We must not tolerate hate,” Biden wrote in a statement, reiterating his call for stricter gun laws.
The incident is reminiscent of the 2016 attack in Florida. Around that time, a gunman killed 49 people at an Orlando LGBTQ+ nightclub before being shot dead by police.
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