Gunman kills 5 at LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs

A deadly mass shooting has rocked the community of Colorado Springs, Colorado, where authorities say a 22-year-old gunman entered an LGBTQ nightclub just before midnight Saturday and immediately opened fire, killing at least five people and injuring 25 others, before patrons confronted and stopped him.

Authorities identified Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, as the suspect and took him into custody shortly after arriving on-site at Club Q. Police are still investigating the gunman's motive and whether the attack constitutes a hate crime.

Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said the gunman began shooting as soon as he entered the nightclub. At least two people helped subdue the gunman, which the chief described as heroic.

In a statement on social media, Club Q said it was “devastated by the senseless attack on our community” and thanked “the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”

Meanwhile, the Human Right Campaign(HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization released the following statement.

“We are absolutely heartbroken by last night’s deadly shooting at an LGBTQ+ club in Colorado Springs. We know anti-LGBTQ+ hate is on the rise and gun violence impacts our community at devastating rates.

We are also observing Transgender Day of Remembrance today and over the last 10 years two-thirds of the more than 300 fatalities we’ve tracked involved gun violence.

We must rise against hate in the strongest possible terms, we must stand together in solidarity and love with our LGBTQ+ family in Colorado Springs and demand an end to this epidemic of gun violence.

From Pulse to Colorado Springs to so many other lives stolen from us— this has occurred for far too long. HRC mourns the lives taken at Club Q last night and extends our deepest strength, love and condolences to the loved ones impacted.” - Human Rights Campaign Incoming President Kelley Robinson

HRC has officially recorded at least 300 violent deaths of transgender and gender non-conforming people, including 32 in 2022 alone, since the organization began tracking this violence ten years ago.

Overall, transgender and gender non-conforming victims of violence are overwhelmingly Black, under 35, and killed with a firearm.

The highest known single-year total of fatal deaths of transgender and gender non-conforming people was in 2021 when at least 57 trans & gender non-conforming people were violently killed. Worse, these disturbing numbers likely underreport the deadly violence targeting transgender and gender non-conforming people, who may not be properly identified as transgender or gender non-conforming by police, media or other sources.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis ordered flags lowered to half-staff on all public buildings statewide from sunrise tomorrow morning until sunset on November 26, 2022, to honour and remember the victims of the horrific shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs. Flags will be lowered for 5 days to remember each of the 5 individuals who lost their lives in this senseless tragedy. 

“This is horrific, sickening, and devastating. My heart breaks for the family and friends of those lost, injured, and traumatized in this horrific shooting. I have spoken with Mayor Suthers and made it clear that every state resource is available to local law enforcement in Colorado Springs. We are eternally grateful for the brave individuals who blocked the gunman likely saving lives in the process and for the first responders who responded swiftly to this horrific shooting. Colorado stands with our LGTBQ community and everyone impacted by this tragedy as we mourn together." Polis said.

In 2016, the deadliest attack on the LGBTQA+ community in modern U.S. history, was when a gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 others at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

Club Q, which opened in 2002, serves the Colorado Springs area with drag shows, karaoke, and dance parties for those 18 years and older.