Colorado LGBTQ club attack: Suspect faces hate crime charges
November 21, 2022
A lone gunman who attacked an LGTBQ nightclub in the US state of Colorado is believed to have carried out a hate crime, the town's mayor told a morning talk show on Monday.
The attack left five dead, while up to 30 others were wounded. At least seven of those injured remain in critical condition.
Law enforcement and officials praised clubgoers for subduing the shooter and ending the attack.
What do we know about the suspect?
The suspect, Anderson A, 22, is suspected of five counts of first-degree murder and five counts of bias-motivated crimes causing bodily injury, according to online court records seen by the Associated Press.
In 2021, the suspect was reportedly arrested for threatening his mother with a homemade bomb, raising questions about how he was able to access the automatic weapons that were used in the attack.
Authorities have not yet officially disclosed a motive for the attack, which was carried out with an AR-15 rifle and a handgun.
Colorado Springs mayor John Suthers told the "Today Show" that the attack "certainly has the trappings of a hate crime."
The charges against the 22-year-old suspect are "arrest-only charges," meaning that they could change once prosecutors formally file charges, the Denver Post reported.
Colorado prosecutors said they had yet to file hate crimes charges, although first degree murder charges would be forthcoming.
What happened in the shooting?
Authorities in Colorado said the gunman began firing after entering the club. They also said police responded to emergency calls and were on scene within four minutes.
Police said the 22-year-old suspect is in custody thanks to the patrons at Club Q.
The shooting ended when one of the club's patrons grabbed a handgun from the suspect and hit him with it. Others then pinned the gunman down until authorities arrived on the scene.
On Facebook, Club Q thanked the "quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack."
At the time of the attack, Club Q was holding an event celebrating Transgender Day of Remembrance. According to the club's Facebook page, the event included performances from drag queens and performers with diverse gender identities.
Transgender Day of Remembrance is held every year on November 20 in memory of people who were killed due to transphobia.
Editor's note: Deutsche Welle follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and obliges us to refrain from revealing full names in such cases.
ar/rs,jcg (AFP, AP)