Colorado Shooting Suspect Identified By Police
(AmericanProsperity.com) – Another deadly shooting has taken place in the US, this time in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A gunman entered a nightclub just before midnight and opened fire. The shooting left at least 18 people injured and another five deceased. Authorities identified the suspect as 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich.
The Attack
Fox News reported that Aldrich allegedly entered Club Q, an LGBTQ nightclub, with a semi-automatic rifle. By the time authorities arrived, just minutes after initial calls to police, two brave patrons had neutralized the threat. Law enforcement personnel took the shooter into custody shortly upon arrival.
Officials noted that of the 18 injured individuals, down from the original 25 that were reported, 17 had suffered gunshot wounds. The surviving victims and the alleged shooter went to nearby hospitals via ambulances and squad cars.
Speaking to CBS Mornings, Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez commended the individuals who were able to stop Aldrich from inflicting more harm.
Vasquez noted the shooter immediately started discharging his rifle when he entered Club Q. Fox News stated that the FBI has joined the investigation, which remains in its early stages. Authorities haven’t yet determined whether the shooting was a hate crime.
The owner of Club Q, Matthew Haynes, noted in a statement to NBC that he never thought this would happen at his establishment. The owner asserted the shooting was even more tragic due to its proximity to Thanksgiving. Haynes mentioned that some people won’t be able to spend the holiday with their families as a result of the deadly attack.
The Suspect
The recent shooting isn’t the first time Aldrich has been in trouble with the law. Several outlets reported the 22-year-old was also involved in a bomb threat in 2021. At that time, the suspect had crafted a homemade explosive device and threatened his mother according to a press release from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities had evacuated people from around 10 homes in the area, contacted Aldrich by phone, and ordered him to surrender. The suspect refused to give himself up, but police eventually took him into custody. Aldrich was facing three counts of first-degree kidnapping and two felony counts of menacing.
The 22-year-old could answer to much more severe charges for his alleged attack on Club Q patrons. He may also face five counts of first-degree murder and five counts of committing a crime with biased motivation resulting in bodily harm. According to AP News, the current charges against Aldrich are preliminary and might change as the investigation continues.
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