The suspected shooter has not spoken to police following the fatal shooting at a gay, lesbian, and transgender nightclub in Colorado Springs. Police Chief Adrian Vasquez told the New York Times on Sunday. The attack killed five people and injured 25 others. Authorities are trying to determine whether the crime was a hate crime.
When police released the name of the attacker, it was revealed that he had sparked a police operation last year by threatening his mother with a bomb, official documents show. It is initially unclear what became of the investigations against him at the time and how he obtained his weapons.
Gast overpowered him
According to police, the 22-year-old man entered the club with an assault rifle and pistol and immediately began firing. He didn’t say a word about it. Eventually, the attacker was overpowered by a guest. He is now injured in the hospital.
The guest was able to grab a gun from the man and hit him with it, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers told the New York Times. “He saved dozens and dozens of lives,” one of the club’s owners, Matthew Haynes, said at a short memorial service. The attack was over after about a minute, police chief Vasquez said.
Club launched fundraising campaign
The attack took place on the night of Transgender Day, a day that commemorates victims of transphobia. In the club called Club Q, a transgender party with a transvestite show was scheduled for the night, local broadcaster KRDO reports. According to Vasquez, there were no threats against the club.
The club called on its Facebook page to raise money for the victims. In interviews with local stations, guests describe the place as the only club of its kind in Colorado Springs, which has been a “safe haven” for them to be themselves.
One of the largest police operations
Police initially spoke of 18 injured. During the day, she corrected the number to 25, broadcasters CNN and KKTV reported. It is unclear how many people were in the club at the time of the crime. According to the owners, possibly due to the cold weather, it was not as busy as usual on a Saturday night.
KRDO is calling it one of the largest police operations in Colorado Springs history. The police emphasized that after the first report came in three minutes before midnight, the suspect was arrested at 00:02.
So says US President Biden
US President Joe Biden has expressed his condolences to the victims and their families. He stressed that the gay, lesbian and trans community in America has experienced “terrific violence” in recent years. “We must not tolerate hate,” Biden wrote in a statement, reiterating his call for tougher gun laws.
In 2016, 49 people were killed in an attack on Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, popular with the LGBTQ community. The gunman claimed responsibility for the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS).
LGBT is the English abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. The variants LGBTQ, LGBTQI or LGBTQIA+ are also often used. Each letter represents a separate gender identity or sexual orientation. (SDA/no)