Colorado Springs Shooting: Police Investigating Potential Hate Crime, Nancy Pelosi Admits It Shatters 'Sense of Safety of LGBTQ Americans'

Police in Colorado Springs report that a shooting late on Saturday at Club Q left at least five individuals dead and 25 more injured.

Several 911 calls came in shortly before midnight local time, and the police were at the club within minutes, according to Colorado Springs Police Lt. Pamela Castro.

Colorado LGBTQ Nightclub Shooting

Authorities stated that the alleged shooter, 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich, is in jail and has already gotten medical attention. Officials claim that the shooter used a long rifle, although several other weaponry were discovered at the site. They are still determining who owns which weapons, as per CNN.

A heroic struggle: Law enforcement officers lauded the bravery of one or more persons who resisted and managed to take down the gunman. According to the mayor of the city, one of the patrons snatched the shooter's firearm and struck him with it.

Colorado Springs police said it's too soon to say whether the shooting was a hate crime, but they will keep that possibility in mind moving forward. Police Chief Adrian Vasquez stated, "Whether this was a hate crime is a part of that inquiry." Local district attorney Michael Allen noted, "There's a lot of work to be done.

Officials at the nearby hospital told reporters on Sunday that many shooting victims are in serious condition. The names of the victims won't be made public until after the families have been informed. The mayor of Colorado Springs stated that 19 of the 25 victims of the attack sustained gunshot wounds, and he is still hopeful that all will recover.

The gunfire started as Joshua Thurman, 34, was dancing inside Club Q, but at first he believed they were a part of the music. He claimed to have seen the light of a gun muzzle after hearing another shot, but he knew better, USA Today reported. Thurman and someone else rushed to a dressing room, where they joined another person in closing the door and taking cover as the mayhem occurred.

Pelosi Blames Republicans For Colorado Springs Shooting

On Sunday afternoon, a temporary memorial comprised of flowers, candles, pride flags, and food grew outside Club Q. Colleen Bunkers, who had a sign around her neck that said, "Free hugs from the parent of a trans son. We love you," was one among many expressing their respects.

She said that although her son, now 23 years old, had been attending the club since he was 18 years old, he was at home when the shooting started. Bunkers claimed to have given at least 15 people at the memorial hugs. According to Macie Loureiro, acceptance of the LGBTQ community has grown recently in Colorado Springs, a city of roughly 480,000 people located about 70 miles south of Denver. This includes more LGBTQ restaurants and locations like Club Q.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized MAGA Republicans on Transgender Remembrance Day and accused them of being responsible for the shooting at an LBGTQ nightclub in Colorado that left five people dead overnight.

GOP-led state legislatures have made the battle against transgender activism a top priority, as per Daily Mail. They have introduced bills that forbid transgender boys from participating in girls' sports, laws requiring students to use the restroom designated for their assigned sex at birth, and regulations that forbid teachers from discussing gender and sexuality with young children.