Colorado Springs authorities announced Sunday they have a man in custody suspected of killing five and wounding at least 18 others.
Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez identified the suspect as Andersen Lee Aldridge, 22, during a Sunday news conference.
“I’m so terribly sad and heartbroken,” Vasquez said sorrowfully as he described details of the mass murder.
Police received the initial call for service at 11:56 p.m. last night and the first officer was dispatched one minute later, at 11:57 p.m. The first responders were on scene three minutes later and within two minutes after arriving had detained and arrested a suspect, police said.
The police chief described Club Q, where the shooting occurred, as a safe haven for LGBTQ citizens of the community.
“The suspect entered Club Q and immediately began shooting at people,” Vasquez explained. “When the suspect was in the club, at least two heroic people inside the club confronted and fought with the suspect and were able to stop the suspect from continuing to kill and harm others.”
The Colorado law enforcement officer declared that five individuals were fatally shot and at least 18 others suffered gunshot wounds in the Club Q incident. He revealed Aldridge allegedly used a long rifle to shoot victims Saturday night.
Vasquez added two handguns were found at the scene and investigators are working to determine who owned them.
Victim identities were not released by police who announced that dealing with families of the victims was their immediate priority. Also, other individuals may have driven themselves to seek treatment, so there may be more victims than currently known.
“Every person regardless of who they are, has the right to be secure from fear and physical harm, and actions taken to strike fear in specific communities will not be tolerated in our community,” District Attorney Michael Allen said at the news conference.
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