At least five people were killed and 18 others sustained injuries after a gunman opened fire inside an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, just before midnight on Saturday (Nov. 19).
According to CNN, authorities identified Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, as the suspected gunman. Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said at least two people confronted Aldrich after he fired multiple rounds from a weapon. Two guns and a long rifle were recovered from the scene at Club Q.
Calls about an active shooter began to pour into 911 dispatch at 11:56 p.m., and officers were dispatched within a minute of learning of the threat. By 12:02 a.m., Aldrich was in police custody.
At least two of the victims are listed in critical condition. The suspect also sustained injuries and is being treated at a hospital. Officers noted they did not have to fire their weapons at the 22-year-old.
Police have not released details of a possible motive nor have they declared the attack a hate crime. Sunday (Nov. 20) marks the national Transgender Day of Remembrance. The annual observance began in 1999 and honors the lives of transgender individuals who were violently killed.
“Club Q is a safe haven for our LGBTQ citizens. Every citizen has a right to feel safe and secure in our city, to go about our beautiful city without fear of being harmed or treated poorly,” Vasquez said.
The popular establishment also stated on its Facebook page: “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. We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”
The shooting comes six years after a man opened fire inside the LGBTQ nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida. The mass shooting killed 49 people and left more than 50 others injured. The gunman was identified as 29-year-old Omar Mateen. It was later revealed that he had previously been listed as a “person of interest” by the FBI after he expressed ties to al-Qaeda and Hezbollah.
Watch CNN’s report on the Club Q shooting below.