The gunman suspected of opening fire in a Colorado Springs nightclub over the weekend is being held on homicide and hate crime charges as of Monday, Reuters reports.
Over the weekend, 22 year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich fatally shot at least five patrons at Club Q with a long rifle. He is believed to have caused injury to at least 18 more people in the process.
According to the Associated Press, Aldrich was ultimately stopped by a 15-year U.S. Army Veteran, Richard Fierro, who was celebrating a birthday among family. Fierro said the gunman came into the nightclub shooting. However, during a brief pause in the firing, Fierro was able to approach Aldrich, grab his firearm off of him and hit him with it before pinning him down until police arrived.
An investigation of the incident and the shooter’s motive remains ongoing.
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Local reports describe Club Q as a “safe haven” for the local LGBTQ community. The timing of the attack is notable considering Sunday marked the Transgender Day of Remembrance, an international day of recognition honoring victims of anti-transgender violence first established in 1999.
Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers expressed there is “reason to hope” those in the hospital will recover from their injuries.
