Will the Colorado gay club shootg be prosecuted as a hate crime? | Colorado | The Guardian

Contents:

• DEFENSE: COLORADO GAY CLUB SHOOTG SPECT IS NONBARY
• COLORADO SPRGS RECKONS WH PAST AFTER GAY CLUB SHOOTG
• WILL THE COLORADO GAY CLUB SHOOTG BE PROSECUTED AS A HATE CRIME?
• SPECT MASS SHOOTG AT COLORADO GAY NIGHTCLUB EXPECTED TO TAKE PLEA DEAL
• GUNMAN KILLED 5 AT COLORADO SPRGS GAY CLUB BEFORE BEG SUBDUED BY PATRONS, POLICE SAY
• MAN WHO HELPED STOP SHOOTER AT COLORADO GAY CLUB ‘WANTED TO SAVE FAY I FOUND’
• SHOOTG AT COLORADO SPRGS GAY CLUB LEAV 5 AD, 18 JURED; SPECT CTODY PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 20, 2022 UPDATED 6:34PM COLORADO FOX 5 NY SHARE COPY LK EMAIL FACEBOOK TWTER LKEDIN REDD GUNMAN KILLS 5 AT COLORADO GAY CLUB, IS SUBDUED BY PATRONS POLICE SAY A 22-YEAR-OLD GUNMAN OPENED FIRE AT A GAY NIGHTCLUB COLORADO SPRGS, KILLG FIVE PEOPLE AND LEAVG 25 JURED BEFORE HE WAS SUBDUED BY "HEROIC" PATRONS. COLORADO - A 22-YEAR-OLD GUNMAN OPENED FIRE SI A GAY NIGHTCLUB COLORADO SPRGS, KILLG FIVE PEOPLE AND LEAVG 25 JURED BEFORE HE WAS SUBDUED BY "HEROIC" PATRONS AND ARRTED BY POLICE WHO ARRIVED WH MUT, THORI SAID SUNDAY. TWO FIREARMS, CLUDG A "LONG RIFLE," WERE FOUND AT CLUB Q AFTER THE SATURDAY NIGHT SHOOTG, SAID POLICE CHIEF ADRIAN VASQUEZ. ON S FACEBOOK PAGE, THE CLUB LLED A "HATE ATTACK." INVTIGATORS WERE STILL TERMG A MOTIVE AND WHETHER TO PROSECUTE AS A HATE CRIME, SAID EL PASO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY MICHAEL ALLEN. CHARG AGAST THE SPECT "WILL LIKELY CLU FIRST-GREE MURR," HE SAID. POLICE INTIFIED THE GUNMAN AS ANRSON LEE ALDRICH, WHO WAS CTODY AND BEG TREATED FOR JURI. ANTI-GUN VLENCE RALLY HELD AT STONEWALL INN AFTER COLORADO SHOOTG MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ MUNY AND BEYOND GATHERED AT THE STONEWALL INN ON SUNDAY AS A SERVICE ORIGALLY TEND FOR THE TRANS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE TURNED TO ONE THAT ALSO MEMORIALIZED THE VICTIMS OF A MASS SHOOTG AT A GAY CLUB COLORADO THAT LEFT 5 AD AND DOZENS JURED. A MAN WH THAT NAME WAS ARRTED 2021 AFTER HIS MOTHER REPORTED HE THREATENED HER WH A HOMEMA BOMB AND OTHER WEAPONS, THORI SAID. THEY CLED TO ELABORATE ON THAT ARRT. NO EXPLOSIV WERE FOUND, THORI SAID AT THE TIME, AND THE GAZETTE COLORADO SPRGS REPORTED THAT PROSECUTORS DID NOT PURSUE ANY CHARG AND THAT RERDS WERE SEALED. A MAKHIFT MEMORIAL IS SET UP NEAR CLUB Q ON NOVEMBER 20, 2022 COLORADO SPRGS, COLORADO. AN ATTACKER OPENED FIRE A GAY NIGHTCLUB LATE SATURDAY NIGHT KILLG FIVE PEOPLE AND WOUNDG AT LEAST 25, OFFICIALS SAID. THE CLUB SAID THE SPECT WAS EXPAND CLUB Q IS A GAY AND LBIAN NIGHTCLUB THAT FEATUR A "DRAG DIVA DRAG SHOW" ON SATURDAYS, ACRDG TO S WEBSE. BLOOD STAED CLOTHG IS SEEN ON THE GROUND NEAR CLUB Q, AN LGBTQ NIGHTCLUB COLORADO SPRGS, COLORADO, ON NOVEMBER 20, 2022. - AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 18 WOUND A MASS SHOOTG AT AN LGBTQ NIGHTCLUB THE US CY OF COLORADO SP EXPAND DRAG EVENTS HAVE BEE A FOC OF ANTI-LGBTQ RHETORIC AND PROTTS RECENTLY AS OPPONENTS, CLUDG POLICIANS, HAVE PROPOSED BANNG CHILDREN OM THEM, FALSELY CLAIMG THEY'RE ED TO "GROOM" CHILDREN. "CLUB Q IS VASTATED BY THE SENSELS ATTACK ON OUR MUNY," THE CLUB POSTED ON S FACEBOOK PAGE. IT SAID S PRAYERS WERE WH VICTIMS AND FAI, AND "WE THANK THE QUICK REACTNS OF HEROIC CTOMERS THAT SUBDUED THE GUNMAN AND END THIS HATE ATTACK." AUTHORI WERE LLED TO CLUB Q AT 11:57 P.M. SATURDAY WH A REPORT OF A SHOOTG, AND THE FIRST OFFICER ARRIVED AT MIDNIGHT. JOSHUA THURMAN SAID HE WAS THE CLUB WH ABOUT TWO DOZEN OTHER PEOPLE AND WAS DANCG WHEN THE SHOTS BEGAN. HE IALLY THOUGHT WAS PART OF THE MIC, UNTIL HE HEARD ANOTHER SHOT AND SAID HE SAW THE FLASH OF A GUN MUZZLE. THURMAN, 34, SAID HE RAN WH ANOTHER PERSON TO A DRSG ROOM WHERE SOMEONE ALREADY WAS HIDG. THEY LOCKED THE DOOR, TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS AND GOT ON THE FLOOR BUT ULD HEAR THE VLENCE UNFOLDG, CLUDG THE GUNMAN GETTG BEATEN UP, HE ADD. "I ULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE — OVER WHAT? WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE?" HE SAID AS TEARS RAN DOWN HIS CHEEKS. "WE WERE JT ENJOYG OURSELV. WE WEREN’T OUT HARMG ANYONE. WE WERE OUR SPACE, OUR MUNY, OUR HOME, ENJOYG OURSELV LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DO." TYLER JOHNSTON, RIGHT, FORTS HIS IEND JOSHUA THURMAN AT A MAKHIFT MEMORIAL NEAR CLUB Q ON NOVEMBER 20, 2022 COLORADO SPRGS, COLORADO. THURMAN WAS SI THE NIGHTCLUB WHEN THE SHOOTG HAPPENED. AN ATTACKER OPENED FIRE A GAY NIGHTCLUB EXPAND THE GUNMAN WAS NONTED BY "AT LEAST TWO HEROIC PEOPLE" WHO FOUGHT AND SUBDUED THE SPECT, VASQUEZ SAID. "WE OWE THEM A GREAT BT OF THANKS," HE ADD. DETECTIV ALSO WERE EXAMG WHETHER ANYONE HAD HELPED ALDRICH BEFORE THE ATTACK, VASQUEZ SAID. OF THE 25 JURED, AT LEAST SEVEN WERE CRIL NDN, THORI SAID. SOME WERE HURT TRYG TO FLEE, AND WAS UNCLEAR IF ALL OF THE VICTIMS WERE SHOT, A POLICE SPOKPERSON SAID. THE SHOOTG REKDLED MEMORI OF THE 2016 MASSACRE AT THE PULSE GAY NIGHTCLUB ORLANDO, FLORIDA, THAT KILLED 49 PEOPLE. COLORADO HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL MASS KILLGS, CLUDG AT COLUMBE HIGH SCHOOL 1999, A MOVIE THEATER SUBURBAN DENVER 2012 AND AT A BOULR SUPERMARKET LAST YEAR. IT WAS THE SIXTH MASS KILLG THIS MONTH AND ME A YEAR WHEN THE NATN WAS SHAKEN BY THE ATHS OF 21 A SCHOOL SHOOTG UVAL, TEXAS. ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND WAS BRIEFED ON THE SHOOTG AND THE FBI WAS ASSISTG POLICE WH THE VTIGATN. A SIGN HANGS OM A FENCE NEAR CLUB Q, AN LGBTQ NIGHTCLUB, COLORADO SPRGS, COLORADO, ON NOVEMBER 20, 2022. - AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 18 WOUND A MASS SHOOTG AT AN LGBTQ NIGHTCLUB THE US CY OF COLORADO SPRGS, POLICE SAID EXPAND PRINT JOE BIN SAID THAT WHILE THE MOTIVE FOR THE SHOOTGS WAS NOT YET CLEAR, "WE KNOW THAT THE LGBTQI+ MUNY HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO HORRIFIC HATE VLENCE RECENT YEARS." "PLAC THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE SPAC OF ACCEPTANCE AND CELEBRATN SHOULD NEVER BE TURNED TO PLAC OF TERROR AND VLENCE," HE SAID. "WE NNOT AND MT NOT TOLERATE HATE." COLORADO GOV. JARED POLIS, WHO BEME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN THE UNED STAT TO BE ELECTED ERNOR 2018, LLED THE SHOOTG "SICKENG." "MY HEART BREAKS FOR THE FAY AND IENDS OF THOSE LOST, JURED AND TRMATIZED," POLIS SAID. "COLORADO STANDS WH OUR LGTBQ MUNY AND EVERYONE IMPACTED BY THIS TRAGEDY AS WE MOURN." A MAKHIFT MEMORIAL SPRANG UP SUNDAY NEAR THE CLUB, WH FLOWERS, A STUFFED ANIMAL AND NDL AND A SIGN SAYG "LOVE OVER HATE" NEXT TO A RABOW-LORED HEART. SETH STANG WAS BUYG FLOWERS FOR THE MEMORIAL WHEN HE WAS TOLD THAT TWO OF THE AD WERE HIS IENDS. THE 34-YEAR-OLD TRANSGENR MAN SAID WAS LIKE HAVG "A BUCKET OF HOT WATER GETTG DUMPED ON YOU. ... I’M JT TIRED OF NNG OUT OF PLAC WHERE WE N EXIST SAFELY." RYAN JOHNSON, WHO LIV NEAR THE CLUB AND WAS THERE LAST MONTH, SAID WAS ONE OF ONLY TWO NIGHTSPOTS FOR THE LGBTQ MUNY NSERVATIVE-LEANG COLORADO SPRGS. "IT’S KD OF THE GO-TO FOR PRI," THE 26-YEAR-OLD SAID OF THE CLUB, WHICH IS TUCKED BEHD OTHER BS, CLUDG A BOWLG ALLEY AND A SANDWICH SHOP. COLORADO SPRGS, A CY OF ABOUT 480,000 LOTED 70 (112 KILOMETERS) SOUTH OF DENVER, IS HOME TO THE U.S. AIR FORCE AMY, AS WELL AS FOC ON THE FAY, A PROMENT EVANGELIL CHRISTIAN MISTRY. THE GROUP NMNED THE SHOOTG AND SAID "EXPOS THE EVIL AND WICKEDNS SI THE HUMAN HEART." IN NOVEMBER 2015, THREE PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND EIGHT WOUND AT A PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLIC THE CY WHEN THORI SAY A GUNMAN TARGETED THE CLIC BEE PERFORMED ABORTNS. THE CEO OF A NATNAL LGBTQ-RIGHTS ANIZATN, KEV JENNGS OF LAMBDA LEGAL, PLEAD FOR TIGHTER RTRICTNS ON GUNS. "AMERI’S TOXIC MIX OF BIGOTRY AND ABSURDLY EASY ACCS TO FIREARMS MEANS THAT SUCH EVENTS ARE ALL TOO MON AND LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, BIPOC MUNI, THE JEWISH MUNY AND OTHER VULNERABLE POPULATNS PAY THE PRICE AGA AND AGA FOR OUR POLIL LEARSHIP’S FAILURE TO ACT," HE SAID A STATEMENT. THE SHOOTG ME DURG TRANSGENR AWARENS WEEK AND JT AT THE START OF SUNDAY’S INTERNATNAL TRANSGENR DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, WHEN EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE HELD TO MOURN AND REMEMBER TRANSGENR PEOPLE LOST TO VLENCE. IN JUNE, 31 MEMBERS OF THE NEO-NAZI GROUP PATRT FRONT WERE ARRTED COR D’ALENE, IDAHO, AND CHARGED WH NSPIRACY TO RT AT A PRI EVENT. EXPERTS WARNED THAT EXTREMIST GROUPS ULD SEE ANTI-GAY RHETORIC AS A LL TO ACTN. THE PREV MONTH, A FUNDAMENTALIST IDAHO PASTOR TOLD HIS SMALL BOISE NGREGATN THAT GAY, LBIAN AND TRANSGENR PEOPLE SHOULD BE EXECUTED BY THE ERNMENT, WHICH LED UP WH SIAR SERMONS OM A TEXAS FUNDAMENTALIST PASTOR. SCE 2006, THERE HAVE BEEN 523 MASS KILLGS AND 2,727 ATHS AS OF NOV. 19, ACRDG TO THE ASSOCIATED PRS/USA TODAY DATABASE ON MASS KILLGS THE U.S. THE ASSOCIATED PRS NTRIBUTED TO THIS REPORT. DAILY NEWSLETTER

DEFENSE: COLORADO GAY CLUB SHOOTG SPECT IS NONBARY

People embrace durg a ndlelight vigil on a rner near the se of a weekend mass shootg at a gay bar, late Monday, Nov. (AP) — The alleged gunman facg possible hate crime charg the fatal shootg of five people at a Colorado Sprgs gay nightclub is nonbary, the spect's fense team says urt several standard motns filed on behalf of Anrson Lee Aldrich on Tuday, public fenrs refer to the spect as “Mx. Addnally, a YouTube acunt was opened Brk's name that clud an animatn tled “Asian homosexual gets molted.

Speakg a vio statement released by UC Health Memorial Hospal, Ed Sanrs said he thought about what he would do a mass shootg after the 2016 massacre of 49 people at the Pulse gay nightclub Orlando, Florida.

The spect a mass shootg at a Colorado Sprgs gay nightclub is expected to strike a plea al to state murr and hate charg that would ensure at least a life sentence for the attack that killed five people and wound 17, several survivors told The Associated Prs.

COLORADO SPRGS RECKONS WH PAST AFTER GAY CLUB SHOOTG

Onle gamg iends said Aldrich exprsed hatred for the police, LGBTQ people and mori and ed anti-Black and anti-gay slurs. And a police tective ttified that Aldrich sent an onle msage wh a photo of a rifle spe traed on a gay pri para.

A 22-year-old gunman opened fire wh a semitomatic rifle si a gay nightclub Colorado Sprgs, killg five people and leavg 25 jured before he was subdued by "heroic" patrons and arrted by police who arrived wh mut, thori said spect the Saturday night shootg at Club Q ed an AR-15-style semitomatic weapon, a law enforcement official said.

WILL THE COLORADO GAY CLUB SHOOTG BE PROSECUTED AS A HATE CRIME?

Suthers said there was "reason to hope" that all of those hospalized would shootg rekdled memori of the 2016 massacre at the Pulse gay nightclub Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people. He said patrons who tervened durg the attack were "heroic" and owed a bt of gratu for preventg more Q is a gay and lbian nightclub that featur a drag show on Saturdays, acrdg to s webse. Jared Polis, who beme the first openly gay man the Uned Stat to be elected ernor 2018, lled the shootg "sickeng.

Experts warned that extremist groups uld see anti-gay rhetoric as a ll to prev month, a fundamentalist Idaho pastor told his small Boise ngregatn that gay, lbian and transgenr people should be executed by the ernment, which led up wh siar sermons om a Texas fundamentalist 2006, there have been 523 mass killgs and 2, 727 aths as of Nov. A member of the US navy who was jured while helpg prevent further harm durg a shootg at a gay nightclub Colorado last weekend said on Sunday that he “simply wanted to save the fay that I found” officer 2nd class Thomas Jam ma his first public ments on the shootg a statement issued through Centura Penrose hospal Colorado Sprgs, where Jam is reverg om undisclosed juri suffered durg the Colorado Sprgs police chief, Adrian Vasquez, said that Jam was one of two men who helped to stop the shooter who walked to Club Q late on 19 November wh multiple firearms, cludg a semitomatic rifle, and killed five least 17 others were jured when a drag queen’s birthday celebratn turned to a reportedly phed a rifle out of the shooter’s reach while army veteran Rich Fierro repeatedly stck the shooter wh a handgun the shooter brought to the bar, officials have said. Colorado’s ernor, Jared Polis, the first openly gay man elected ernor the US, appeared on TV sayg he supported creasg licensg requirements for semitomatic weapons, improvg mental health servic and better e of red flag laws that allow urts to remove weapons om people havg mental health cris and who may be a danger.

Published November 20, 2022 Updated 6:34PM Gunman kills 5 at Colorado gay club, is subdued by patrons Police say a 22-year-old gunman opened fire at a gay nightclub Colorado Sprgs, killg five people and leavg 25 jured before he was subdued by "heroic" patrons. A 22-year-old gunman opened fire si a gay nightclub Colorado Sprgs, killg five people and leavg 25 jured before he was subdued by "heroic" patrons and arrted by police who arrived wh mut, thori said Sunday. Anti-gun vlence rally held at Stonewall Inn after Colorado shootg Members of the LGBTQ muny and beyond gathered at the Stonewall Inn on Sunday as a service origally tend for the Trans Day of Remembrance turned to one that also memorialized the victims of a mass shootg at a gay club Colorado that left 5 ad and dozens jured.

SPECT MASS SHOOTG AT COLORADO GAY NIGHTCLUB EXPECTED TO TAKE PLEA DEAL

An attacker opened fire a gay nightclub late Saturday night killg five people and woundg at least 25, officials said. The club said the spect was Club Q is a gay and lbian nightclub that featur a "Drag Diva Drag Show" on Saturdays, acrdg to s webse. An attacker opened fire a gay nightclub The gunman was nonted by "at least two heroic people" who fought and subdued the spect, Vasquez said.

The shootg rekdled memori of the 2016 massacre at the Pulse gay nightclub Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people.

GUNMAN KILLED 5 AT COLORADO SPRGS GAY CLUB BEFORE BEG SUBDUED BY PATRONS, POLICE SAY

Experts warned that extremist groups uld see anti-gay rhetoric as a ll to actn. The prev month, a fundamentalist Idaho pastor told his small Boise ngregatn that gay, lbian and transgenr people should be executed by the ernment, which led up wh siar sermons om a Texas fundamentalist pastor.

MAN WHO HELPED STOP SHOOTER AT COLORADO GAY CLUB ‘WANTED TO SAVE FAY I FOUND’

SHOOTG AT COLORADO SPRGS GAY CLUB LEAV 5 AD, 18 JURED; SPECT CTODY PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 20, 2022 UPDATED 6:34PM COLORADO FOX 5 NY SHARE COPY LK EMAIL FACEBOOK TWTER LKEDIN REDD GUNMAN KILLS 5 AT COLORADO GAY CLUB, IS SUBDUED BY PATRONS POLICE SAY A 22-YEAR-OLD GUNMAN OPENED FIRE AT A GAY NIGHTCLUB COLORADO SPRGS, KILLG FIVE PEOPLE AND LEAVG 25 JURED BEFORE HE WAS SUBDUED BY "HEROIC" PATRONS. COLORADO - A 22-YEAR-OLD GUNMAN OPENED FIRE SI A GAY NIGHTCLUB COLORADO SPRGS, KILLG FIVE PEOPLE AND LEAVG 25 JURED BEFORE HE WAS SUBDUED BY "HEROIC" PATRONS AND ARRTED BY POLICE WHO ARRIVED WH MUT, THORI SAID SUNDAY. TWO FIREARMS, CLUDG A "LONG RIFLE," WERE FOUND AT CLUB Q AFTER THE SATURDAY NIGHT SHOOTG, SAID POLICE CHIEF ADRIAN VASQUEZ. ON S FACEBOOK PAGE, THE CLUB LLED A "HATE ATTACK." INVTIGATORS WERE STILL TERMG A MOTIVE AND WHETHER TO PROSECUTE AS A HATE CRIME, SAID EL PASO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY MICHAEL ALLEN. CHARG AGAST THE SPECT "WILL LIKELY CLU FIRST-GREE MURR," HE SAID. POLICE INTIFIED THE GUNMAN AS ANRSON LEE ALDRICH, WHO WAS CTODY AND BEG TREATED FOR JURI. ANTI-GUN VLENCE RALLY HELD AT STONEWALL INN AFTER COLORADO SHOOTG MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ MUNY AND BEYOND GATHERED AT THE STONEWALL INN ON SUNDAY AS A SERVICE ORIGALLY TEND FOR THE TRANS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE TURNED TO ONE THAT ALSO MEMORIALIZED THE VICTIMS OF A MASS SHOOTG AT A GAY CLUB COLORADO THAT LEFT 5 AD AND DOZENS JURED. A MAN WH THAT NAME WAS ARRTED 2021 AFTER HIS MOTHER REPORTED HE THREATENED HER WH A HOMEMA BOMB AND OTHER WEAPONS, THORI SAID. THEY CLED TO ELABORATE ON THAT ARRT. NO EXPLOSIV WERE FOUND, THORI SAID AT THE TIME, AND THE GAZETTE COLORADO SPRGS REPORTED THAT PROSECUTORS DID NOT PURSUE ANY CHARG AND THAT RERDS WERE SEALED. A MAKHIFT MEMORIAL IS SET UP NEAR CLUB Q ON NOVEMBER 20, 2022 COLORADO SPRGS, COLORADO. AN ATTACKER OPENED FIRE A GAY NIGHTCLUB LATE SATURDAY NIGHT KILLG FIVE PEOPLE AND WOUNDG AT LEAST 25, OFFICIALS SAID. THE CLUB SAID THE SPECT WAS EXPAND CLUB Q IS A GAY AND LBIAN NIGHTCLUB THAT FEATUR A "DRAG DIVA DRAG SHOW" ON SATURDAYS, ACRDG TO S WEBSE. BLOOD STAED CLOTHG IS SEEN ON THE GROUND NEAR CLUB Q, AN LGBTQ NIGHTCLUB COLORADO SPRGS, COLORADO, ON NOVEMBER 20, 2022. - AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 18 WOUND A MASS SHOOTG AT AN LGBTQ NIGHTCLUB THE US CY OF COLORADO SP EXPAND DRAG EVENTS HAVE BEE A FOC OF ANTI-LGBTQ RHETORIC AND PROTTS RECENTLY AS OPPONENTS, CLUDG POLICIANS, HAVE PROPOSED BANNG CHILDREN OM THEM, FALSELY CLAIMG THEY'RE ED TO "GROOM" CHILDREN. "CLUB Q IS VASTATED BY THE SENSELS ATTACK ON OUR MUNY," THE CLUB POSTED ON S FACEBOOK PAGE. IT SAID S PRAYERS WERE WH VICTIMS AND FAI, AND "WE THANK THE QUICK REACTNS OF HEROIC CTOMERS THAT SUBDUED THE GUNMAN AND END THIS HATE ATTACK." AUTHORI WERE LLED TO CLUB Q AT 11:57 P.M. SATURDAY WH A REPORT OF A SHOOTG, AND THE FIRST OFFICER ARRIVED AT MIDNIGHT. JOSHUA THURMAN SAID HE WAS THE CLUB WH ABOUT TWO DOZEN OTHER PEOPLE AND WAS DANCG WHEN THE SHOTS BEGAN. HE IALLY THOUGHT WAS PART OF THE MIC, UNTIL HE HEARD ANOTHER SHOT AND SAID HE SAW THE FLASH OF A GUN MUZZLE. THURMAN, 34, SAID HE RAN WH ANOTHER PERSON TO A DRSG ROOM WHERE SOMEONE ALREADY WAS HIDG. THEY LOCKED THE DOOR, TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS AND GOT ON THE FLOOR BUT ULD HEAR THE VLENCE UNFOLDG, CLUDG THE GUNMAN GETTG BEATEN UP, HE ADD. "I ULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE — OVER WHAT? WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE?" HE SAID AS TEARS RAN DOWN HIS CHEEKS. "WE WERE JT ENJOYG OURSELV. WE WEREN’T OUT HARMG ANYONE. WE WERE OUR SPACE, OUR MUNY, OUR HOME, ENJOYG OURSELV LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DO." TYLER JOHNSTON, RIGHT, FORTS HIS IEND JOSHUA THURMAN AT A MAKHIFT MEMORIAL NEAR CLUB Q ON NOVEMBER 20, 2022 COLORADO SPRGS, COLORADO. THURMAN WAS SI THE NIGHTCLUB WHEN THE SHOOTG HAPPENED. AN ATTACKER OPENED FIRE A GAY NIGHTCLUB EXPAND THE GUNMAN WAS NONTED BY "AT LEAST TWO HEROIC PEOPLE" WHO FOUGHT AND SUBDUED THE SPECT, VASQUEZ SAID. "WE OWE THEM A GREAT BT OF THANKS," HE ADD. DETECTIV ALSO WERE EXAMG WHETHER ANYONE HAD HELPED ALDRICH BEFORE THE ATTACK, VASQUEZ SAID. OF THE 25 JURED, AT LEAST SEVEN WERE CRIL NDN, THORI SAID. SOME WERE HURT TRYG TO FLEE, AND WAS UNCLEAR IF ALL OF THE VICTIMS WERE SHOT, A POLICE SPOKPERSON SAID. THE SHOOTG REKDLED MEMORI OF THE 2016 MASSACRE AT THE PULSE GAY NIGHTCLUB ORLANDO, FLORIDA, THAT KILLED 49 PEOPLE. COLORADO HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL MASS KILLGS, CLUDG AT COLUMBE HIGH SCHOOL 1999, A MOVIE THEATER SUBURBAN DENVER 2012 AND AT A BOULR SUPERMARKET LAST YEAR. IT WAS THE SIXTH MASS KILLG THIS MONTH AND ME A YEAR WHEN THE NATN WAS SHAKEN BY THE ATHS OF 21 A SCHOOL SHOOTG UVAL, TEXAS. ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND WAS BRIEFED ON THE SHOOTG AND THE FBI WAS ASSISTG POLICE WH THE VTIGATN. A SIGN HANGS OM A FENCE NEAR CLUB Q, AN LGBTQ NIGHTCLUB, COLORADO SPRGS, COLORADO, ON NOVEMBER 20, 2022. - AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 18 WOUND A MASS SHOOTG AT AN LGBTQ NIGHTCLUB THE US CY OF COLORADO SPRGS, POLICE SAID EXPAND PRINT JOE BIN SAID THAT WHILE THE MOTIVE FOR THE SHOOTGS WAS NOT YET CLEAR, "WE KNOW THAT THE LGBTQI+ MUNY HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO HORRIFIC HATE VLENCE RECENT YEARS." "PLAC THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SAFE SPAC OF ACCEPTANCE AND CELEBRATN SHOULD NEVER BE TURNED TO PLAC OF TERROR AND VLENCE," HE SAID. "WE NNOT AND MT NOT TOLERATE HATE." COLORADO GOV. JARED POLIS, WHO BEME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN THE UNED STAT TO BE ELECTED ERNOR 2018, LLED THE SHOOTG "SICKENG." "MY HEART BREAKS FOR THE FAY AND IENDS OF THOSE LOST, JURED AND TRMATIZED," POLIS SAID. "COLORADO STANDS WH OUR LGTBQ MUNY AND EVERYONE IMPACTED BY THIS TRAGEDY AS WE MOURN." A MAKHIFT MEMORIAL SPRANG UP SUNDAY NEAR THE CLUB, WH FLOWERS, A STUFFED ANIMAL AND NDL AND A SIGN SAYG "LOVE OVER HATE" NEXT TO A RABOW-LORED HEART. SETH STANG WAS BUYG FLOWERS FOR THE MEMORIAL WHEN HE WAS TOLD THAT TWO OF THE AD WERE HIS IENDS. THE 34-YEAR-OLD TRANSGENR MAN SAID WAS LIKE HAVG "A BUCKET OF HOT WATER GETTG DUMPED ON YOU. ... I’M JT TIRED OF NNG OUT OF PLAC WHERE WE N EXIST SAFELY." RYAN JOHNSON, WHO LIV NEAR THE CLUB AND WAS THERE LAST MONTH, SAID WAS ONE OF ONLY TWO NIGHTSPOTS FOR THE LGBTQ MUNY NSERVATIVE-LEANG COLORADO SPRGS. "IT’S KD OF THE GO-TO FOR PRI," THE 26-YEAR-OLD SAID OF THE CLUB, WHICH IS TUCKED BEHD OTHER BS, CLUDG A BOWLG ALLEY AND A SANDWICH SHOP. COLORADO SPRGS, A CY OF ABOUT 480,000 LOTED 70 (112 KILOMETERS) SOUTH OF DENVER, IS HOME TO THE U.S. AIR FORCE AMY, AS WELL AS FOC ON THE FAY, A PROMENT EVANGELIL CHRISTIAN MISTRY. THE GROUP NMNED THE SHOOTG AND SAID "EXPOS THE EVIL AND WICKEDNS SI THE HUMAN HEART." IN NOVEMBER 2015, THREE PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND EIGHT WOUND AT A PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLIC THE CY WHEN THORI SAY A GUNMAN TARGETED THE CLIC BEE PERFORMED ABORTNS. THE CEO OF A NATNAL LGBTQ-RIGHTS ANIZATN, KEV JENNGS OF LAMBDA LEGAL, PLEAD FOR TIGHTER RTRICTNS ON GUNS. "AMERI’S TOXIC MIX OF BIGOTRY AND ABSURDLY EASY ACCS TO FIREARMS MEANS THAT SUCH EVENTS ARE ALL TOO MON AND LGBTQ+ PEOPLE, BIPOC MUNI, THE JEWISH MUNY AND OTHER VULNERABLE POPULATNS PAY THE PRICE AGA AND AGA FOR OUR POLIL LEARSHIP’S FAILURE TO ACT," HE SAID A STATEMENT. THE SHOOTG ME DURG TRANSGENR AWARENS WEEK AND JT AT THE START OF SUNDAY’S INTERNATNAL TRANSGENR DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, WHEN EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE HELD TO MOURN AND REMEMBER TRANSGENR PEOPLE LOST TO VLENCE. IN JUNE, 31 MEMBERS OF THE NEO-NAZI GROUP PATRT FRONT WERE ARRTED COR D’ALENE, IDAHO, AND CHARGED WH NSPIRACY TO RT AT A PRI EVENT. EXPERTS WARNED THAT EXTREMIST GROUPS ULD SEE ANTI-GAY RHETORIC AS A LL TO ACTN. THE PREV MONTH, A FUNDAMENTALIST IDAHO PASTOR TOLD HIS SMALL BOISE NGREGATN THAT GAY, LBIAN AND TRANSGENR PEOPLE SHOULD BE EXECUTED BY THE ERNMENT, WHICH LED UP WH SIAR SERMONS OM A TEXAS FUNDAMENTALIST PASTOR. SCE 2006, THERE HAVE BEEN 523 MASS KILLGS AND 2,727 ATHS AS OF NOV. 19, ACRDG TO THE ASSOCIATED PRS/USA TODAY DATABASE ON MASS KILLGS THE U.S. THE ASSOCIATED PRS NTRIBUTED TO THIS REPORT. DAILY NEWSLETTER