Colorado Springs shooting – live: Anderson Lee Aldrich’s father speaks out as motive remains unclear

Colorado Springs shooting suspect Anderson Lee Aldrich wanted to be the “next mass killer” and go out “in a blaze”, according to past arrest records.

Over one year before the 22-year-old allegedly killed five victims in a mass shooting at LGBT+ nightclub Club Q, Aldrich was arrested for making an alleged bomb threat. No charges were filed, and the case was sealed.

Records have surfaced showing that the accused shooter’s grandmother told police that they said they were “going to be the next mass killer and has been collecting ammunition, firearms, bullet-proof body armour and storing it in the basement of the residence”.

Aldrich, who allegedly identifies as nonbinary, is now facing preliminary charges including five counts of murder along with five charges of committing a bias-motivated crime causing bodily injury over Saturday night’s massacre.

Aldrich’s father has sparked outrage after he said his first reaction on being informed of the mass shooting was to question why his child was at a gay bar.

Key Points

• Father of suspect more concerned about child being gay than a mass killer

• Anderson Lee Aldrich seen for first time in court to face murder charges

• Here’s what we know so far about the five victims

• Old arrest records suggest Colorado Springs suspect wanted to ‘go out in a blaze’

• Mugshot shows suspect Anderson Aldrich with face and neck wounds

Mass shooting follows wave of anti-gay attacks across US

15:46 , Alex Woodward

A recent report from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) found 124 incidents of anti-LGBT+ protests and threats in 47 targeting drag events so far this year.

The majority of those incidents occurred during Pride events in June and into September, October and November.

Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO GLAAD, criticised right-wing media for the ongoing demonization of LGBT+ people in right-wing media.

“No one is holding them accountable for all of the misinformation they’re spreading, but then we need to prove we’re not what they say we are,” she told NBC News.

A separate report from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University San Bernardino found that reports of hate crimes against LGBT+ people in major cities increased by 51 per cent in 2021.

Anderson Lee Aldrich sent mother chilling message hours before Colorado Springs shooting

15:30 , Alex Woodward

Less than a day before Anderson Lee Aldrich allegedly opened fire inside a LGBT+ nightclub, the suspect’s mother reportedly posted a chilling message n Facebook.

Laura Voepel, the mother of the 22-year-old mass shooting suspect, allegedly wrote “my son is missing” and “took my phone and my debit card”.

Accused Colorado Club Shooter Makes First Court Appearance

Mugshot shows Colorado Springs suspect Anderson Aldrich with face and neck wounds

15:20 , Alex Woodward

Booking photos of Anderson Lee Aldrich from the Coloroado Springs Police Department reveal numerous apparent wounds to the suspect’s face and neck.

Mugshot shows Colorado Springs suspect with face and neck wounds

‘Why the hell can’t America end this deadly gun violence?'

15:00 , Alex Woodward

There are 400 million firearms in US and they being used to kill people at a rate not seen in any other nation in the world, The Independent’s Andrew Buncombe writes:

Why the hell can’t America end this deadly gun violence?

ICYMI: Colorado Springs attack suspect’s father gives shocking statement in reaction to mass shooting

14:30 , Johanna Chisholm

Aaron Brink, a former porn actor and MMA fighter, told CBS8 he received a call on Sunday night from his child’s public defender to say he was under arrest for the Colorado Springs mass shooting that left five people dead and more than a dozen injured.

He told the CBS8 his family were Mormon, adding: “We don’t do gay.”

The father said that while he holds anti-gay views, there’s no excuse for his child allegedly shooting people in an LGTBQ+ club.

“I’m so sorry guys for your loss,” Mr Brink said. “With no regard to politics, it’s human life. I’m so sorry. My soul goes out to you.”

“Life is so fragile, and it’s valuable,” he said. “Those people’s lives were valuable.”

Aldrich’s lawyers have said in court documents that the 22-year-old is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.

Bevan Hurley has more details from the interview here.

Father of Colorado Springs shooting suspect says he’s relieved child isn’t gay

Watch: Suspected gunman’s father speaks out to local news outlet

14:10 , Johanna Chisholm

The father of Colorado Springs shooting suspect Anderson Aldrich says his first reaction to being informed of the attack at Club Q was to question why his child was at an LGBTQ bar.

Aaron Brink, a former porn actor and MMA fighter, told CBS8 he received a call on Sunday night from his child’s public defender to say he was under arrest for the mass shooting.

“They started telling me about the incident, a shooting involving multiple people,” Mr Brink said in an interview.

“And then I go on to find out it’s a gay bar. I said, ‘God, is he gay?’ I got scared, ‘S***, is he gay?’ And he’s not gay, so I said, ‘Phhhewww…’”

Watch the full interview with CBS 8 below.

Local breweries in Colorado Springs create day-long fundraiser for shooting victims and families

13:50 , Johanna Chisholm

More than 20 local breweries in Colorado Springs will be pooling resources for a day-long fundraiser, with a portion of tabs going towards providing financial support for the victims and survivors of the Club Q mass shooting last Saturday.

The “Brews for Q” fundraiser will pass on the day’s sales to charity campaigns set up after the attack that left five dead and more than a dozen injured at the popular LGBT+ nightclub.

A Facebook event for the fundraiser, put on by one of the local breweries, The Public House, describes how they are “joining many local establishments for #BrewsForQ this #SmallBusinessSaturday to raise money for the victims and their families”.

“From 12-5 pm on November 26, $1 from pints poured at both PH locations will be donated to a verified victim fund,” the event description adds.

Motive in attack remains unclear as investigation continues

13:30 , Johanna Chisholm

The motive behind the Club Q attack that left five people dead and at least another 18 injured is still under investigation by authorities.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder and five counts of committing those crimes as part of a bias attack.

Prosecutor Michael Allen said that the suspect, who appeared in court on Wednesday via video with visible injuries to his face and neck, was “physically competent” to stand trial.

His next hearing is scheduled 6 December.

Father of Colorado Springs suspected shooter said he was told Aldrich died years ago

13:10 , Johanna Chisholm

Aaron Brink, a former porn actor and MMA fighter, told CBS8 he received a call on Sunday night from his child’s public defender to say he was under arrest for the mass shooting.

During the course of that interview with the San Diego-based news outlet, Mr Brink, 48, said that his ex-wife Laura Voepel called him in 2016 to say that their child, who was born Nicholas Brink, had changed their name and died by suicide.

“His mother told me he changed his name because I was in (reality tv show) Intervention and I had been a porno actor,” Mr Brink told CBS8.

He had continued to believe that his child was dead until six months ago, when he got a call out of the blue from Aldrich.

According to Mr Brink’s account, Aldrich was “pissed off” and wanted to “poke at the old man”.

He went on to say he taught his child how to fight at a young age and “praised him for violent behaviour”.

“I told him it works. It is instant and you’ll get immediate results,” Mr Brink told CBS8.

Who are the victims of the Club Q shooting?

12:50 , Johanna Chisholm

Here’s what we know so far about the five people who were killed.

Who were the people killed in the Colorado Springs LGBT+ nightclub shooting?

Hero veteran reveals how he tackled suspect with help from trans woman

12:30 , Johanna Chisholm

A former Army captain tackled a shooter who had opened fire on an LGBT+ nightclub in Colorado Springs and beat the suspect unconscious as a trans woman in heels stomped on him.

Richard Fierro, 45, said he was with family and friends at Club Q on Saturday night when the suspect burst in and began spraying the club with automatic gunfire.

Mr Fierro told the New York Times his military training kicked in and he ran towards the shooter, grabbed him from behind by his body armour and pulled him to the ground.

“I just knew I had to take him down,” Mr Fierro said.

Bevan Hurley has more.

Hero reveals how he tackled Colorado Springs gunman with help from trans woman

Gay club shooting suspect evaded Colorado's red flag gun law

12:10 , Johanna Chisholm

A year and a half before he was arrested in the Colorado Springs gay nightclub shooting that left five people dead, Anderson Lee Aldrich allegedly threatened his mother with a homemade bomb, forcing neighbors in surrounding homes to evacuate while the bomb squad and crisis negotiators talked him into surrendering.

Yet despite that scare, there’s no record prosecutors ever moved forward with felony kidnapping and menacing charges against Aldrich, or that police or relatives tried to trigger Colorado’s “red flag” law that would have allowed authorities to seize the weapons and ammo the man’s mother says he had with him.

Gun control advocates say Aldrich’s June 2021 threat is a example of a red flag law ignored, with potentially deadly consequences. While it’s not clear the law could have prevented Saturday night’s attack — such gun seizures can be in effect for as little as 14 days and be extended by a judge in six-month increments — they say it could have at least slowed Aldrich and raised his profile with law enforcement.

Bernard Condon and Colleen Slevin have the story.

Gay club shooting suspect evaded Colorado's red flag gun law

Records suggest suspect wanted to ‘go out in a blaze’

11:50 , Johanna Chisholm

Anderson Lee Aldrich, the suspected shooter who killed five people in a Colorado Springs LGBT+ club over the weekend, previously told their family they wanted to be the “next mass killer”.

In June of 2021, Aldrich, who identifies as nonbinary, was arrested for threatening the grandmother, with whom they lived, with a homemade bomb, prompting a heavily armed police tactical team to respond and evacuate surrounding homes.

Eventually, crisis negotiators were able to bring Aldrich in, and they were booked into El Paso County Jail on two counts of felony menacing and three counts of first-degree kidnapping, according to the sheriff’s office.

Josh Marcus has more.

Arrest records suggest Colorado Springs suspect wanted to ‘go out in a blaze’

Colorado Springs shooting suspect had ‘threatened mother with home-made bomb’ in June 2021

11:30 , Johanna Chisholm

The individual suspected of killing five people at an LGBT+ nightclub on Colorado Springs on Saturday night appears to have been previously arrested for making bomb threats, according to police records.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, was named by police on Sunday morning as a suspect in the deadly massacre, which sent patrons and staff racing for shelter and caused at least 25 people to be injured.

A person with the same name and age was arrested in June 2021 after their mother told officers that he was threatening her with a homemade bomb and other weapons.

Colorado prosecutors declined to explicitly confirm the connection on Sunday morning, saying only that the incident in 2021 was “all part of the investigation and will be released as appropriate”.

Io Dodds has more.

Colorado Springs shooting suspect had ‘threatened mother with home-made bomb’ in 2021

Father with anti-gay views says ‘no excuse for child’s shooting'

11:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The father of shooting suspect Anderson Lee Aldrich said while he holds anti-gay views, there’s no excuse for his child allegedly shooting people in an LGBT+ nightclub in Colorado Springs.

“I’m so sorry guys for your loss,” Aaron Brink, 48, said. “With no regard to politics, it’s human life. I’m so sorry. My soul goes out to you.”

“Life is so fragile, and it’s valuable,” he said. “Those people’s lives were valuable.”

Mike Pence backed away from anti-LGBT figures before five killed in Colorado shooting

10:48 , Josh Marcus

Former vice president Mike Pence appeared to take a step back from his party’s hard-right wing stand in an interview that was taped just days before the deadly attack at a gay nightclub that has been blamed on a rising tide of anti-LGBT hate.

Mr Pence was interviewed by Margaret Brennan on CBS’s Face the Nation this past week; his remarks were broadcast on Sunday.

During the interview, he was asked about the legislation which was passed by the US Senate this week, seeking to protect the rights of same-sex marriages at the federal level. Unlike other conservatives in his party, Mr Pence seemed to back away from the rhetoric that has been embraced by many far-right commentators such as Matt Walsh, Chris Rufo, and Tucker Carlson seeking to link LGBT Americans to pedophilia.

The free-flowing accusations of “grooming” against gay Americans that have emerged from this wing of the GOP has been blamed for a new wave of violence and discrimination against LGBT communities both online and in the real world.

John Bowden has the details.

Mike Pence backed away from anti-LGBT figures before five killed in Colorado shooting

Tucker Carlson slammed for dismissing anti-LGBT+ motive in shooting

10:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Fox News host Tucker Carlson has come under fire for dismissing the likelihood that anti-LGBT+ hate was behind the mass shooting at a Colorado Springs gay club where five persons were killed and another 18 sustained injuries.

In the wake of the mass shooting, the right-wing news presenter brushed off the suspect's motive, suggesting that Aldrich was "clearly a troubled person".

"So the most obvious question is why did he shoot 30 people? The truth is we don’t know," he said during The Tucker Carlson Tonight show.

"We do know he was clearly a troubled person," Mr Carlson said, adding that the suspect was arrested in 2021 for threatening his mother with a homemade bomb.

Read more here.

Tucker Carlson slammed for dismissing anti-LGBT+ motive in Colorado Springs shooting

AOC eviscerates Lauren Boebert for ‘thoughts and prayers’ response to Colorado Springs mass shooting

09:40 , Josh Marcus

Democrat representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tore into conservative Republican Colorado congresswoman Lauren Boebert for her statement showing concern for the victims of a mass shooting at an LGBT+ nightclub.

At least five people were killed and 25 others sustained injuries after a 22-year-old wearing body armour stormed inside Club Q in Colorado Springs and opened fire before being subdued by “heroic” patrons.

Following the Saturday midnight shooting, Ms Boebert tweeted that the “news out of Colorado Springs is absolutely awful”.

“This morning the victims and their families are in my prayers. This lawless violence needs to end and end quickly,” she added.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar has the story.

AOC eviscerates Lauren Boebert for ‘thoughts and prayers’ tweet on Colorado shooting

Why the hell can’t America end this deadly gun violence?

09:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

How are you supposed to feel when a man walks into an LGBT+ nightclub in Colorado Springs and opens fire, killing five and injuring 20 others?

Horror, for sure, and admiration for the persons who confronted the alleged shooter before he destroyed even more lives.

The same goes for when you wake to news that six people are dead in a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, after an employee opened fire late at night, grievously injuring half-a-dozen others, before turning the weapon on himself.

But alongside the sympathy for the victims, are two other emotions that bubble up and will not go away. And they are anger and outrage, writes Andrew Buncombe.

Why the hell can’t America end this deadly gun violence?

‘Master of Silly Business’ among 5 dead in Colorado shooting

08:48 , Josh Marcus

On a typical night at the Club Q, a bastion for LGBTQ people in the largely conservative city of Colorado Springs, Daniel Aston could be seen letting loose and sliding across the stage on his knees tailed by his mullet to whoops and hollers.

The venue provided Aston, a 28-year-old transgender man and the self-proclaimed “Master of Silly Business,” with the liberating performances he had long sought. But on Saturday it became the site of the latest mass shooting in the U.S. when a gunman with an semiautomatic rifle opened fire and killed Aston and four others. Twenty-five others were injured.

Jess Bedayn has the story.

‘Master of Silly Business’ among 5 dead in Colorado shooting

Shooting suspect held sans bail

08:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The suspected gunman facing possible hate crime charges in the fatal shooting of five people at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub has been ordered to be held without bail.

In an initial court appearance yesterday the suspect sat slumped over in a chair with injuries visible on their face and head.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, who identifies as non-binary, appeared to need prompting by defence lawyers during a brief video appearance from jail.

Aldrich offered a slurred response when asked to state their name by El Paso County Court Judge Charlotte Ankeny.

The suspect was beaten into submission by patrons during the shooting at Club Q and released from hospital on Tuesday.

The motive in the shooting was still under investigation, but authorities said Aldrich faces possible murder and hate crime charges.

Mothers, friends, performers among dead at Colorado gay club

07:40 , Josh Marcus

A loving boyfriend. A 28-year-old bartender who loved to perform. A mother visiting from a small town who enjoyed hunting. These are among the victims of the rampage at an LGBTQ club in Colorado Springs that left five people dead and 17 others with gunshot wounds.

Club regulars and newcomers — gay and straight, transgender and cisgender — flocked to Club Q over the weekend to dance, enjoy a comedy show or work behind the bar. What began as a typical Saturday evening of dancing and drinking at the preeminent LGBTQ establishment in the conservative-leaning Colorado city south of Denver ended in tragedy when a gunman entered and began spraying bullets before they were tackled and subdued.

More details in our full story.

Mothers, friends, performers among dead at Colorado gay club

Eleven wounded still at hospital

07:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Of the 17 people injured by gunshots in Saturday’s attack, 11 remained in the hospital as of yesterday night, officials said.

At least five people were killed when 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich stormed inside an LGBT+ nightclub and opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle.

The suspect was taken down by an Army veteran named Richard Fierro with the help of fellow patrons.

How did the Colorado Springs gunman get his firearms despite the state’s ‘red flag’ law?

06:40 , Josh Marcus

In June 2021, Anderson Lee Aldrich walked out of the front door of a house in Colorado Springs with their hands in the air after a stand-off with police.

Authorities arrested them for felony menacing and first degree kidnapping after their mother alleged that they had threatened her with a homemade bomb and other weapons.

Seventeen months later, Mr Aldrich, 22, is in police custody on suspicion of killing five people at an LGBT+ nightclub called Club Q.

What’s more, media reports suggest that the weapons wielded during the attack – a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun – were purchased legally.

Io Dodds has more.

How did the Colorado Springs gunman get his firearms despite ‘red flag’ law?

Mugshot shows suspect with face and neck wounds

06:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Police released the booking photos of Anderson Lee Aldrich, who is accused of fatally shooting five people and wounding numerous others in a Colorado Springs LGBT+ nightclub over the weekend.

The photos show Aldrich, who identifies as nonbinary, with numerous apparent wounds to the face and neck.

According to clubgoers, multiple patrons at Club Q tackled the 22-year-old and managed to wrestle away the AR-style rifle they were carrying.

Josh Marcus has more.

Mugshot shows Colorado Springs suspect with face and neck wounds

Marjorie Taylor Greene criticised for response to Colorado shooting

05:40 , Josh Marcus

Marjorie Taylor Greene was back causing controversy this week after she chose her response to the mass shooting at an LGBT club in Colorado as a means for attacking Joe Biden on unrelated issues.

Ms Greene’s two-tweet thread addressing the attack that saw five killed and more than a dozen wounded surprised few; the tweets did not address the significance of the target nor the wave of hate that right-wing political figures have directed at LGBT people and transgender Americans in particular over the past few years.

“Tragically, 300 Americans die of fentanyl poisoning everyday in America and Biden says and does nothing. Tragically, 5 people were killed in a shooting in Colorado and Biden immediately demands a ban on assault weapons,” she wrote.

She added: “The solutions are this: 1. Secure the border and stop the drugs. 2. Defend our right to keep and bear arms so that people can defend themselves from killers who could care less about laws.“

John Bowden has the story.

Marjorie Taylor Greene criticised for response to Colorado shooting

Shooter showed ‘no hesitation’, says witness

05:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Deanne VanScyoc said she dropped to the floor behind a pool table at Club Q and called 911 as the first shots rang out just before midnight, hitting people at the bar who had been drinking and chatting.

Ms VanScyoc was facing the entrance from behind a glass wall when the shooter came in, she said.

The shooter turned right and fired a single shot toward the bar, then three more in rapid succession, then a flurry of shots.“There was no hesitation,” Ms VanScyoc told The Associated Press in an interview.

Read more here.

Witness: shooter at gay club showed 'no hesitation'

Remembering the victims of the Colorado shooting

04:40 , Josh Marcus

Hundreds of people, many holding candles and wiping away tears, gathered Monday night in a Colorado Springs park to honor those killed and wounded when a gunman opened fire on a nightlife venue that for decades was a sanctuary for the local LGBTQ community.

The vigil came as the 22-year-old suspect, Anderson Lee Aldrich, remained hospitalized after Saturday night’s attack in which five people were killed and another 17 suffered gunshot wounds before patrons tackled and beat the suspect into submission. Aldrich faces five murder charges and five charges of committing a bias-motivated crime causing bodily injury, online court records showed.

More details in our full report.

Rage and sadness as Colorado club shooting victims honored

Colorado suspect Anderson Aldrich has MAGA ties

03:40 , Josh Marcus

The 22-year-old accused of murdering five and wounding dozens more in a mass shooting in a Colorado gay nightclub is the grandson of a GOP lawmaker who celebrated the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Suspected gunman Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, allegedly opened fire inside Club Q in Colorado Springs just before midnight on Saturday night.

Bartenders Daniel Aston and Derrick Rump as well as patron Kelly Loving were among the five victims killed in the attack. Another 25 people were injured, including 19 who suffered gunshot wounds.

The mass shooting came to an end thanks to the bravery of at least one clubgoer, who tackled the gunman to the ground and detained them until law enforcement arrived on the scene.

Rachel Sharp has the story.

Colorado shooting suspect is grandson of GOP lawmaker who celebrated January 6 riot

What are survivors of the Club Q shooting saying?

02:40 , Josh Marcus

Ed Sanders was just opening up a tab at Club Q’s bar when the shooting started.

The 63-year-old said he had been waiting in line at the bar, and made his way up to the front and gave the bartender his credit card when he was hit in the back — right between the shoulder blades. Surprised and shocked, he turned to look at the gunman, only to be hit again in the thigh as another volley of shots were fired.

“I fell. And everybody fell,” Sanders said in video statements released Tuesday by UCHealth Memorial Hospital Center. “It was very traumatic. I shielded another woman with my coat … there was a lot of chaos.”

Amy Forliti has the full story.

Colorado club shooting survivor: 'I want to be resilient'

Old arrest records suggest Colorado Springs suspect wanted to ‘go out in a blaze’

02:10 , Josh Marcus

Anderson Lee Aldrich, the alleged shooter who killed five people in a Colorado Springs LGTBQ+ club over the weekend, previously told their family they wanted to be the “next mass killer,” Colorado’s KKTV reports.

In June of 2021, Aldrich, who identifies as nonbinary, was arrested for threatening the grandmother, with whom they lived, with a homemade bomb, prompting a heavily armed police tactical team to respond and evacuate surrounding homes.

Eventually, crisis negotiators were able to bring Aldrich in, and they were booked into El Paso County Jail on on two counts of felony menacing and three counts of first-degree kidnapping, according to the sheriff’s office.

Read our full report.

Arrest records suggest Colorado Springs suspect wanted to ‘go out in a blaze’

Mugshot shows Colorado Springs suspect Anderson Aldrich with face and neck wounds

01:55 , Josh Marcus

Police on Wednesday released the booking photos of Anderson Lee Aldrich, who is accused of fatally shooting five people and wounding numerous others in a Colorado Springs LGTBQ+ nightclub over the weekend.

The photos show Aldrich, who identifies as nonbinary, with numerous apparent wounds to the face and neck.

According to clubgoers, multiple patrons at Club Q tackled the 22-year-old and managed to wrestle away the AR-style rifle they were carrying.

More details in our full story.

Anderson Aldrich defence announces they are nonbinary

01:43 , Josh Marcus

The alleged gunman facing possible hate crime charges in the fatal shooting of five people at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub is nonbinary, the suspect’s defense team says in court filings.

In several standard motions filed on behalf of Anderson Lee Aldrich on Tuesday, public defenders refer to the suspect as “Mx. Aldrich,” noting in footnotes that Aldrich, 22, is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. The motions deal with issues like unsealing documents and evidence gathering, not Aldrich’s identity and there was no elaboration about it.

Aldrich, who was beaten into submission by patrons during Saturday night’s shooting at Club Q, appeared in court for the first time Wednesday by video from jail. The motive in the shooting was still under investigation, but authorities said Aldrich faces possible murder and hate crime charges.

Get all the details in our full story.

Father of Colorado Springs shooting suspect apologises: ‘Life is so fragile'

00:45 , Josh Marcus

Aaron Brink, father of Colorado Springs mass shooting suspect Anderson Aldrich, is avowedly anti-gay, but apologised nonetheless for the alleged crimes of his child.

“I’m so sorry guys for your loss,” Mr Brink said. “With no regard to politics, it’s human life. I’m so sorry. My soul goes out to you.”

“Life is so fragile, and it’s valuable,” he said. “Those people’s lives were valuable.”

Bevan Hurley has more on what Aldrich’s father said.

Father of Colorado Springs shooting suspect says he’s relieved child isn’t gay

Photos: Booking picture shows Colorado suspect with extensive facial injuries

00:22 , Josh Marcus

The Colorado Springs Police Department has released booking photos of mass shooting suspect Anderson Lee Aldrich.

In the photos, Aldrich can be seen with apparent wounds to the face and neck, likely a result of clubgoers tackling the alleged shooter during the attack.

Army veteran gives emotional account of tackling gunman at Club Q

Colorado Springs shooting part of nationwide trend of threats against LGTBQ+ community: report

00:02 , Josh Marcus

The weekend massacre at a gay club in Colorado over the weekend is part of a larger pattern of threats against LGBTQ+ people taking place across the country.

According to advocacy group GLAAD, there have been at least 124 protests as well as a significant number of threats against drag events in the US in 2022.

The Colorado Springs shooting, which left five dead, occured during a drag show.

How Club Q patrons stopped the Colorado Springs shooter

Wednesday 23 November 2022 23:42 , Josh Marcus

Richard Fierro, the former US Army major who tackled a gunman to the ground who had opened fire on an LGBT+ nightclub in Colorado Springs and beat him unconscious, has given an emotional account of his bravery on CNN.

Speaking to John Berman on the network on Monday night, Mr Fierro described what happened when the shooter began firing in Club Q on Saturday night.

He recognised that the shooter, 22-year-old Anderson Aldrich, was wearing a flak vest which has a handle on it and ran across the room, grabbed it, and pulled him to the floor.

Another person helped Mr Fierro bring Mr Aldrich to the ground and he told them to push the AR-15 rifle away.

Oliver O’Connell and Beavn Hurley have more.

Army veteran gives emotional account of tackling gunman at Club Q

The Colorado shooter’s strange tie to January 6

Wednesday 23 November 2022 23:22 , Josh Marcus

The 22-year-old man accused of murdering five and wounding dozens more in a mass shooting in a Colorado gay nightclub is the grandson of a GOP lawmaker who celebrated the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Suspected gunman Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, allegedly opened fire inside Club Q in Colorado Springs just before midnight on Saturday night.

Bartenders Daniel Aston and Derrick Rump as well as patron Kelly Loving were among the five victims killed in the attack. Another 25 people were injured, including 19 who suffered gunshot wounds.

The mass shooting came to an end thanks to the bravery of at least one clubgoer, who tackled the gunman to the ground and detained him until law enforcement arrived on the scene.

Rachel Sharp has the full story.

Colorado shooting suspect is grandson of GOP lawmaker who celebrated January 6 riot

WATCH: Survivors describe experiences of Colorado Springs shooting

Wednesday 23 November 2022 23:02 , Josh Marcus

In addition to the five people who were killed, at least 19 people were injured in the shooting at an LGTBQ+ bar in Colorado Springs over the weekend, as well as the numerous others who were traumatised by the massacre.

The AP has this video collecting some of their experiences and recollections of what happend.

Colorado club shooting survivor: 'I want to be resilient'

Wednesday 23 November 2022 22:42 , Josh Marcus

Ed Sanders was just opening up a tab at Club Q’s bar when the shooting started.

The 63-year-old said he had been waiting in line at the bar, and made his way up to the front and gave the bartender his credit card when he was hit in the back — right between the shoulder blades. Surprised and shocked, he turned to look at the gunman, only to be hit again in the thigh as another volley of shots were fired.

“I fell. And everybody fell,” Sanders said in video statements released Tuesday by UCHealth Memorial Hospital Center. “It was very traumatic. I shielded another woman with my coat … there was a lot of chaos.”

Amy Forliti has the details.

Colorado club shooting survivor: 'I want to be resilient'

Father of Colorado Springs shooting suspect more concerned about child being gay than a mass killer

Wednesday 23 November 2022 22:18 , Josh Marcus

The father of Colorado Springs shooting suspect Anderson Aldrich says his first reaction to being informed of the attack at Club Q was to question why his son was at an LGBTQ bar.

Aaron Brink, a former porn actor and MMA fighter, told CBS8 his family is Mormon.

Bevan Hurley is following the latest details.

There have been four mass shootings since Colorado Springs

Wednesday 23 November 2022 22:02 , Josh Marcus

Mass shootings continue to occur with shocking regularity in America after the Colorado Springs massacre.

As Igor Volsky of Guns Down America notes, there have been four mass killings since the attack at Club Q.

Who are the victims of the Colorado Springs shooting?

Wednesday 23 November 2022 21:42 , Josh Marcus

The five victims who lost their lives in a mass shooting at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub have been identified.

A gunman burst into Club Q and opened fire just before midnight on Saturday, opening fire with an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun.

The suspect — identified by police as Anderson Aldrich, 22, allegedly shot five people; two bartenders, a mother-of-one on a night out, a transgender woman and a local man celebrating a friend’s birthday.

Police initially said 25 were wounded in the attack, but revised the figure down to 18 on Monday. Many suffered horrendous injuries and face a lengthy recovery.

Mr Aldrich has been arrested on suspicion of five counts of first-degree murder, and five counts of hate crime causing bodily injuries. He is expected to face further charges.

The shooting sparked renewed calls for stricter gun laws and mourning throughout the LGBT+ community, which has been warning since the start of this year that increasingly violent political rhetoric about LGBT+ people could lead to deaths.

Here is what we know so far about the five victims of the Colorado Springs shooting.

Io Dodds has the story.

Who were the people killed in the Colorado Springs LGBT+ nightclub shooting?

‘Where are we going to go?’ Club Q survivor shares horror of attack on safe space for LGTBQ+ people

Wednesday 23 November 2022 21:22 , Josh Marcus

The mass shooting at a Colorado Springs LGTBQ+ club over the weekend was particularly horrifying because it struck one of the few safe spaces for queer people in the city, known more for its military bases and Republican politics than as a haven for diverse identities.

As one survivor of the massacre, Joshua, told local news, he was shaken trying to figure out what to do next.

“This was our only safe space in Colorado Springs,” he said. “Where are we going to go?”

Watch his full remarks, via KRDO.

Far right attacks hero veteran who disarmed Club Q shooter

Wednesday 23 November 2022 21:00 , Josh Marcus

Right-wing internet users are attacking Richard Fierro, the Army veteran who helped tackle and disarm the individual who shot five people and injured numerous others at an LGTBQ+ club in Colorado Springs over the weekend.

According to an investigation from VICE News and researchers at Advance Democracy, Inc., extremists online are questioning Mr Fierro’s story, and accusing him of being a “groomer” and a “f*ggot.”

“Are we just not supposed to talk about the US Army Major taking his family down to the local drag club for a night out?” read one comment from infamous Pizzagate conspiracist Jack Posobiec.

Right-wing host blames victims for Colorado Springs shooting

Wednesday 23 November 2022 20:40 , Josh Marcus

Matt Walsh, the right-wing host of the video show The Matt Walsh Show, blamed the victims of the Colorado Springs massacre for the shooting, which killed five and injured numerous others in a suspected hate attack.

Mr Walsh, in a segment on Tuesday, argued that queer people shouldn’t engage in activities like drag because of violent people who might attack them for doing so, Media Matters reports.

“If it’s causing this much chaos and violence, why do you insist on continuing to do it?” he said. “

“If according to you, it’s like putting people’s lives at risk, if the effort to have men cross-dress in front of children is putting people’s lives at risk, why are you still doing it? Is it that important to you?” he added.

Critics argue that conservative attacks on LGTBQ+ people are encouraging the sort of violence seen in Colorado Springs.

AOC eviscerates Lauren Boebert for ‘thoughts and prayers’ tweet on Colorado shooting

Old arrest papers show Colorado Springs shooting suspect wanted to be ‘next mass killer'

Wednesday 23 November 2022 20:20 , Josh Marcus

Anderson Lee Aldrich, the alleged shooter who killed five people in a Colorado Springs LGTBQ+ club over the weekend, previously told their family they wanted to be the “next mass killer,” Colorado’s KKTV reports.

In June of 2021, Aldrich was arrested for threatening their grandmother with a homemade bomb.

According to arrest records in the case uncovered by KKTV, investigators said they believed Aldrich told family members they wanted to carry out a mass shooting and “go out in a blaze.”

Nonetheless, Aldrich then was able to legally buy guns despite Colorado’s gun laws, weapons allegedly used in the Club Q massacre.

How did the Colorado Springs gunman get his firearms despite ‘red flag’ law?

Brewery run by man who disarmed Colorado Springs shooter sees spike in support

Wednesday 23 November 2022 20:00 , Josh Marcus

Richard Fierro, the clubgoer who helped disarm alleged Colorado Springs mass shooter Anderson Lee Aldrich, is seeing a spike in support for Atrevida Beer Co., the brewery he owns with his wife.

Figures including celebrity chef José Andrés and Meena Harris, the niece of vice-president Kamala Harris, have praised Mr Fierro’s heroism and urged people to support his business.

Details of alleged Colorado Springs shooter’s troubled past obscured by name change

Wednesday 23 November 2022 19:43 , Josh Marcus

At age 15, alleged Colorado Springs shooter Anderson Lee Aldrich petitioned a Texas court for a name change from their birth name, Nicholas F Brink, the Washington Post reports.

The name change is one of the reasons why learning more about the alleged shooter’s past has been difficult.

However, Post reporters dug into court records and online videos and found that Aldrich appears to have had a tumultous upbringing.

His parents separated when he was a toddler, and his mother was arrested for suspected arson.

As a teen, Aldrich was the target of frequent online bullying, including somsone setting up a fake YouTube account under their name with a crude animation titled, “Asian homosexual gets molested.”

AOC says Republican rhetoric to blame for hate attacks in Colorado and beyond

Wednesday 23 November 2022 19:29 , Josh Marcus

The Republican party has been playing with fire, according to Representative Alexandria , taking racist and discriminatory views that lead to violence on the street.

In a tweet following the mass shooting at a Colorado Springs LGTBQ+ club over the weekend, Ms Ocasio-Cortez called on the GOP to “connect the dots” and disavow its hateful views.

“After Trump elevated anti-immigrant and anti-Latino rhetoric, we had the deadliest anti-Latino shooting in modern history,” she wrote. “After anti-Asian hate with COVID, Atlanta. Tree of life. Emanuel AME. Buffalo. And now after an anti-LGBT+ campaign, Colorado Springs.”

Do you agree with her analysis?

There have been 607 mass shootings this year

Wednesday 23 November 2022 19:13 , Josh Marcus

America’s gun violence epidemic continues unabated, with recent tragedies in Colorado Springs and a Walmart store in Virginia.

According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 607 mass shootings this year, and nearly 40,000 killed by gun violence overall this year.

Local sheriff bragged about running a ‘Second Amendment county’ before Colorado Springs shooting

Wednesday 23 November 2022 18:45 , Josh Marcus

After the weekend shooting at a Colorado Springs LGTBQ+ club, many are wondering how alleged shooter Anderson Lee Aldrich was able to get their gun.

The sheriff of El Paso County, home to Colorado Springs, has long bragged about his stauch support for the Second Amendment and his opposition to gun control measures.

Sheriff Bill Elder opposed a 2020 state “red flag” law, allowing courts to bar dangerous people from getting guns.

“I am exploring all available legal options and am committed to vigorously challenging the constitutionality of this law,” Sheriff Elder said in April 2019.

He also supported a resolution from county commisisoners opposing the law, declared El Paso a  “Second Amendment preservation county,” and has bragged about issuing more concealed carry permits “than any other Sheriff in the state,” the Daily Beast reports.

Yesterday, Io Dodds had this look at how Aldrich was able to evade the state’s gun laws, despite once being arrested for a bomb threat.

How did the Colorado Springs gunman get his firearms despite ‘red flag’ law?

Colorado Springs shooting suspect Anderson Lee Aldrich seen for first time in court to face murder charges

Wednesday 23 November 2022 18:39 , Josh Marcus

Anderson Lee Aldrich, who is accused of killing five people and wounding numerous others in a mass shooting at a Colorado Springs LGTBQ+ club over the weekend, made their first appearance in court on Wednesday.

Police are still investigating the massacre and the motive behind it, but the 22-year-old could face five counts of first-degree murder and five counts of bias-motivated crime causing bodily injury.

In a brief hearing, Aldrich could be seen wearing a yellow prison uniform, and a judge decided the alleged shooter would remain in county jail without bond.

Aldrich, whose attorneys say they identify as nonbinary, allegedly entered Club Q with an AR-style assault rifle and and a handgun and killed Daniel Aston, Raymond Green Vance, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh and Derrick Rump.

Get all the details.

FLOW

Denver Post slams Boebert for ‘elevating hateful speech'

Wednesday 23 November 2022 18:30 , Josh Marcus

In the wake of the mass shooting at Club Q, the most prominent paper in Laurent Boebert’s home state has taken the Colorado congresswoman to task for her long record of anti-LGTBQ+ views.

In a Wednesday editorial, The Denver Post post pointed to the connection between the MAGA Republican’s numerous attacks on the LGTBQ+ community and the hate-filled shooting that claimed five lives over the weekend.

The Post editorial board wrote that, through these remarks, Ms Boebert was “elevating hateful speech against the LGTBQ community,” adding that “her hard-line positions on gun control, ruling out even common sense measures, mean she would not have supported any efforts that might have kept guns out of this shooter’s possession.”

The paper didn’t just single out Ms Boebert though. It also hammered anti-LGTBQ religious schools who discriminate against gay parents and transgender students, as well as the Colorado voters who elevated MS Boebert in the first place.

Here’s our reporting on Colorado rep’s remarks.

AOC eviscerates Lauren Boebert for ‘thoughts and prayers’ tweet on Colorado shooting

Lauren Boebert condemned for response to Colorado Springs shooting

Suspected shooter changed his name at 15 due to online bullying

Wednesday 23 November 2022 18:10 , Bevan Hurley

According to court records, the shooting suspect changed names at the age of 15.

Born Nicholas Brink, the suspect petitioned a court to change their name to Anderson Aldrich.

Read on for full story.

Colorado shooting suspect was living under a new identity

ICYMI: Five victims identified in Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub attack

Wednesday 23 November 2022 17:50 , Bevan Hurley

Kelly Loving, Daniel Aston, Derrick Rump, Ashley Paugh and Raymond Green have been identified as the five victims of the Club Q shooting.

Here’s what we know about the five victims of Saturday’s mass shooting.

Who were the people killed in the Colorado Springs LGBT+ nightclub shooting?

‘Quite literally, y’all saved my life’

Wednesday 23 November 2022 17:30 , Bevan Hurley

Colorado Springs shooting victim Daniel Aston wrote that the LGBT+ club targeted in Saturday night’s hate crime had rescued him.

“I’m not sure if I would’ve survived without you guys,” Aston, a transgender man who worked as a bartender at Club Q, wrote on Twitter two months before the attack.

He was among five people shot dead when a suspect — identified by police as Anderson Aldrich — opened fire.

Colorado shooting victim says LGBT+ club targeted in hate crime saved him

The terrible hypocrisy of Lauren Boebert’s ‘thoughts and prayers’ after Colorado Springs

Wednesday 23 November 2022 17:15 , Bevan Hurley

Skylar Baker-Jordan writes for Independent Voices:

“As far as I am concerned, Boebert – who has a history of making homophobic and transphobic comments – is at least morally responsible for this “lawless violence”, even if she has no legal responsibility. This is the woman who sneered at Pete Buttigieg taking paternity leave to “figure out how to chest feed,” demeaning gay parenting. She has routinely mocked Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine for being transgender, including labeling her a “groomer.” She has warned drag queens to stay away from children, implying they are a threat to kids.”

Full story below.

The hypocrisy of Lauren Boebert’s ‘thoughts and prayers’ after Colorado Springs

Anderson Lee Aldrich: What we know about suspect in the Colorado Springs shooting

Wednesday 23 November 2022 16:55 , Bevan Hurley

Here’s a recap of what we’ve discovered about the Colorado Springs shooting suspect.

Anderson Lee Aldrich: What we know about Colorado Springs shooting suspect