COLORADO SPRINGS: A gunman killed at least five and injured 25 others after he opened fire at a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) nightspot in Colorado Springs, a western US state.
According to the police, the clubgoers stopped the attacker after he went on a rampage and killed five people on the spot.
The 22-year-old attacker was later handed over to the police who whisked him away to investigate whether the attack was motivated by hate.
The local police identified the suspect as Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, who used a long rifle to target the clubgoers.
The shooting took place when LGBTQ communities across the world marked the “Transgender Day of Remembrance” on Sunday. The day was marked an annual observance to honor victims of transphobic violence, Reuters said.
The attack was carried out at the Club Q in a modest strip mall, which is considered by many as a safe haven for the LGBTQ community in Colorado’s second-largest city.
Police said that the attacker burst into the club with a rifle, a military-style flak jacket, and at least six magazines with ammunition, the New York Times said, citing the club owners.
Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said at a news conference that multiple firearms were recovered from the venue, including the rifle used in the firing.
