Two people subdued the gunman who opened fire at Club Q, a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub late on Saturday, saving lives, officials say.
"While the suspect was inside of the club, 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," said Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez at a news conference Sunday morning. "We owe them a great debt of thanks."
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who in 2018 was the first openly gay male to be elected governor, said "brave individuals" stepped in during the "horrific, sickening and devastating" shooting that has killed at least five people and injured over two dozen.
"We are eternally grateful for the brave individuals who blocked the gunman likely saving lives in the process and for the first responders who responded swiftly to this horrific shooting," he said in a statement issued Sunday morning. "Colorado stands with our LGTBQ community and everyone impacted by this tragedy as we mourn together.”
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Polis' statement is supported by Club Q, who said in a statement that "heroic customers" stopped the attack.
"We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack," the club posted on its Facebook page.
The suspected shooter, who entered Club Q and immediately began firing with a long rifle, was injured in the attack, apprehended and hospitalized, according to police.
“We have numerous people transported to multiple local hospitals via ambulance and police cruisers," Sgt. Pamela Castro, the Colorado Springs Police Department spokeswoman, said at an early morning briefing Sunday. "The hospitals are helping us to notify family who have been injured."
CORRECTION (Nov. 21, 2022, 6:25 a.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the department Vasquez leads. It the Colorado Springs Police, not the Colorado State Police.
