Five people were killed and 18 injured in a shooting at a gay and lesbian nightclub in east Colorado Springs, according to Colorado Springs police.
Police were dispatched to Club Q for reports of an active shooter shortly before midnight on Saturday night. According to officials, police arrived on the scene at midnight and a suspect was taken into custody at 12:02 a.m.
The nightclub on North Academy Boulevard was open when the suspect entered and began shooting. CSPD Chief Adrian Vasquez said multiple “heroes” engaged and fought the shooter during the attack.
Victims of the attack have not been publicly identified. Of the 18 injured, at least two are in critical condition according to doctors from local hospitals at a press conference.
Vasquez identified the suspect as Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22. Aldrichz was taken into custody and treated at a local hospital for injuries sustained during the attack.
Two firearms were recovered at the scene, including what Vasquez described as a “long rifle.”
In June 2021, Aldrich was arrested in connection with a bomb threat in the Lorson Ranch neighborhood, KRDO reported last year.
Club Q is three miles from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. On Sunday morning, the university released a statement saying that they do not know if any victims of the shooting are affiliated with the university.
Resources for the campus community include counselors at the Wellness Center on Monday and Tuesday and outreach assistance through the CARE team. Faculty and staff can contact the Real Help Hotline at 833-533-2428.
“After the tragic and devastating event on the LGBTQIA+ community last night at Club Q on Academy Blvd., we are mourning the loss of five loved ones and our thoughts are with the many who were injured. We are also mourning this act of violence on Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. These acts of violence are senseless and disturbing and during times like this, we must come together as a community and care for one another,” the university wrote in an email statement to the community.
This article was updated at 11:58 a.m. to include information about the University of Colorado Colorado Springs response and student resources.
Image caption: Photo from ABC News.