U.S. veteran 'went into mode' on Colorado shooter

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STORY: "I just know I got into mode, and I needed to save my family and that family was, at that time, everybody in that room. That's what I was trained to do. I saw him and I went and got him.”

Thinking his combat days were behind him, Richard Fierro had taken his family to a Colorado LGBTQ club on Saturday (November 19) night.

The decorated Iraq and Afghanistan veteran said he was was having a good time in Club Q when he heard gunfire.

That’s when Fierro says he sprung into action.

Five people were killed including the boyfriend of Fierro's daughter, identified by Colorado Springs police as Raymond Green Vance, when a gunman opened fire

And at least another 17 were wounded.

But the bloodshed could have been much worse.

In a news conference on Monday (November 21) night, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said that’s thanks to Fierro and another man, Thomas James who had rushed the shooter.

Fierro said he grabbed the suspect by the armor the gunman was wearing and used the shooter's pistol to beat him.

"I pulled him down. The young man, he was hiding there, had jumped up with me. I don't know if he helped pull (with) me, pull him down, I have no idea, OK? That guy did the same act, amazing. Pulled the dude down, pinned him against the side and just... I think he went for his pistol, I don't know, either way, I grabbed the pistol from him and then I told the guy 'Move the AR', the kid in front of me because he was at his head. I said 'Move the AR, get the AR away from him.' And the kid did it and then I started whaling at this dude."

Fierro added that a drag performer had also stomped on the attacker with high heels.

Officials did not elaborate on the men's actions, and Fierro's comments provided details investigators have not spoken about.

Fierro said he was detained for about an hour by police who found him with a pistol in his hand in the confused aftermath of the shooting.

The suspect, Anderson Lee Aldrich, was known to law enforcement.

Police say they have yet to determine a motive for the attack, but the city's mayor and LGBTQ rights groups said the attack bore the hallmarks of a hate crime.

The 22-year-old remained under arrest at a hospital, presumably for injuries sustained when Fierro pummelled him in an effort to stop the assault.

However Fierro insists he is no hero.

“I tried to save people and it didn't work for five of them, OK? There's five people that aren't home right now."