Colorado gay club shooter detained by patron: mayor

One of the people who confronted the gunman at a gay nightclub in Colorado over the weekend beat the gunman with his own weapon, officials said Monday.

the authorities believe Rampage at Club Q Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said five people could have died had a patron not obtained and pinned the suspect’s gun.

“Had that individual not intervened, this could have been exponentially more tragic,” Suthers said.

The new details came a day after Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vazquez said “at least two heroic people” fought off the gunman before police arrived. is also not specified.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, has been named as a suspect in the massacre, which authorities say at least 25 people were injured in. Police said the shooter used a “long rifle” and at least two guns were found at the scene. said it was found.

Police were called to a bar in Colorado Springs just before midnight on Saturday and arrested the shooter at 12:02 p.m. Sunday, according to Vasquez.

It is unclear how many of the victims were injured in the shooting. Seven of his wounded are in critical condition.

Authorities hope each of the hospitalized victims will recover, Suthers said.

[ Shooting at Colorado Springs LGBTQ bar leaves 5 dead, 25 injured; patrons subdued gunman and saved lives, cops say ]

Investigators are working to determine the motives for the shooting, including whether it was a hate crime. The attack occurred on the eve of Transgender Day, which honors transgender people killed through discriminatory hatred and violence.

“It contains all the trappings of a hate crime, but before we can draw any definitive conclusions about motives, we need to look at social media. We need to look at all other kinds of information,” Suthers said Monday. on NBC’s “Today” show.

Aldrich had been arrested last year on suspicion of threatening his mother with homemade bombs and other weapons. There is no record of any attempt to attempt to do so or to proceed with prosecution.

Club Q was scheduled to host a brunch drag show the Sunday before the shooting.

Hours after the attack, a drug performer named Del Ruzinal tweeted, “The gunfire just won’t stop.”

“This doesn’t feel real,” the 20-year-old wrote. “It’s like. Walked through the bar I call home and saw it… like that… I was so proud of what I accomplished tonight, but… it’s this. I hate it so much.

Another said he hid in a locker room after the violence unfolded.

“I could have lost my life—for what? What was the purpose?” said 34-year-old Joshua Thurman.

“We were just having fun. ”

For news wire services