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Club Q in Colorado Springs.
Here, on Saturday night, the night of Transgender Day, a man killed five people and injured 18 others.
In the meantime, the police have gained initial insights into the course of events in the LGBTQ nightclub.
Adrian Vasquez, Colorado Police Chief, said:
“Preliminary evidence and questioning indicates the suspect entered Club Q and immediately began shooting people inside while continuing into the nightclub.
While the suspect was at the nightclub, at least two heroic people confronted and fought with him.
You managed to stop him from killing and injuring more people.
We owe them a great debt of gratitude.”
The suspect is a 22-year-old man.
The investigations into the crime are still ongoing.
An eyewitness also tells how it ended.
Joshua Thurman, eyewitness:
"
I was dancing on the dance floor and then I heard gunshots.
I thought it was the music because there were no screams, no cries for help or anything.
Then more shots were fired, and when I understood what had happened, I immediately ran to the locker room.
Another guest followed me and there was also a drag artist in the dressing room, Delusional.
I had them lock the doors, we lay down on the floor and immediately turned off the light.”
Reporter:
"When you were lying on the floor and the lights were off - what did you hear?
What did you think?"
Joshua Thurman, eyewitness:
“We heard everything, more shots were fired.
We heard the attacker being hit by someone I assumed attacked the attacker.
We heard the police come in.
We heard them yelling at him.
We have heard how they are made to take care of certain people because their condition was critical.
We heard everything and all I could think about was everything: my life, everything.
friends, family, loved ones.
I came here to celebrate my birthday.
I was supposed to be in Denver but got back a day early.
It's just sad.«
Jared Polis was also involved in a mourning event on Sunday.
In 2018, he became the first openly gay man to be elected governor.
He too was shocked by the attack.
Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado:
“Club Q was a sanctuary for members of the LGBTQ community in an area where that wasn't always easy.
It's a place to get together, dance and share the joy.
Of course, we still don't know a lot about the attack.
What we do know is that we woke up this morning in sorrow because it was a senseless act of evil.
And I feel the same hole in my stomach as you all do today.
A feeling that we are unfortunately all too familiar with.
There will be more information about the who, where and why in the coming days and hours.
But in the end there will be no answer to this unspeakable act of evil.
It means we have to come together, show each other our love for each other and for how beautiful life is.
The attack resembles a 2016 shooting spree in Orlando, Florida.
At that time, the perpetrator killed 49 people before he was shot dead by the police himself.