Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Colorado police disclosed the identity of the gunman who opened fire inside an LGBTQ nightclub, wounding 18 people.
They named the perpetrator as 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich as the gunman who had fired a rifle inside the club where revellers were reportedly commemorating the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honours trans people who have been the victims of violent attacks.
Watch | US: Gunman kills five, injures 18 in gay nightclub at Colorado
A 2021 news statement by El Paso County Sheriff’s Office as per AFP reports that a 21-year-old man with the same name was detained on June 18, 2021, after his mother said he threatened her with a homemade bomb or “multiple weapons.”
Police Chief Adrian Vasquez told the press conference that the suspect in Colorado Springs entered Club Q and immediately started shooting at the people inside.
Authorities said the suspect was being treated at a local hospital but did not release any further information about him, noting that the FBI is working on the case.
“At least two heroic people inside the club confronted and fought with the suspect and were able to stop the suspect from continuing to kill and harm others,” he added.
Gun violence is a major issue in the United States. According to the website Gun Violence Archive, there have been more than 600 mass shootings in the US so far in 2022.
Mass shootings have frequently sparked the discussion over gun regulation, a contentious subject in the country, however little progress has been achieved in Congress on reform calls.
(With inputs from agencies)
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