Community mourns deadly Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs

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• Geoff Bennett:

  Good evening. There is shock and grief tonight in Colorado Springs after a gunman opened fire late last night inside a gay nightclub. At this hour, five people are dead. 25 more are wounded. There's a suspect in custody identified by police today as a 22-year-old male.

  Several firearms including a long rifle were recovered at the scene. Police praise the actions of at least two patrons who subdued the suspect within minutes. People inside the nightclub last night are mourning the lives lost and what it means for the LGBTQ community.

• Joshua Thurman, Nightclub Patron:

  It's a place of welcoming, a place of peace. A place for us to be ourselves and, you now, look this what are we going to do?

• Geoff Bennett:

  The club is calling the shooting a hate attack. Local officials say the motive is under investigation. For the latest from Colorado Springs, we're joined by Hayley Sanchez of Colorado Public Radio. Thanks for being with us.

• Hayley Sanchez, Colorado Public Radio:

  Thank you for having me.

• Geoff Bennett:

  And Hayley, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, as you will know he said in a statement today, quote, every state resource is available to local law enforcement and that he is eternally grateful for the brave individuals who blocked the gunman. You spent the day reporting at the scene. What do officials know about what transpired?

• Hayley Sanchez:

  What we know right now is that five people have died and 25 people are injured. That's a little bit more than what we originally thought. The gunman is named Anderson Lee Aldrich, he's 22 years old, and he entered Club Q just before midnight on Sunday and shot people with a rifle.

  Two people at the club fought with the gunman and stopped him from shooting anyone else and he was arrested within minutes. We don't know the motive behind the shooting. Of course Club Q has called it a hate crime but authorities have not yet confirmed that. And there are still a few victims being treated at nearby hospitals.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Hayley you live in Colorado Springs you grew up there. What are you hearing from people in the community today?

• Hayley Sanchez:

  It's just really heartbreaking. I think Club Q is about one of two gay clubs in Colorado Springs. So it's sad that people went there seeking community. People have been gathering outside of the site leaving flowers and signs.

  One of my colleagues met with a chaplain and former police officer who was playing a bugle at the site and he said his partner and him and thought about going to the club last night decided against it but they have friends who work and perform there and they're still worried about those folks. There will be vigils later this afternoon, and this evening, and there was a church service where they honored it's an LGBTQ friendly church and they did honor some victims at their regular Sunday service.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Hayley Sanchez with Colorado Public Radio Hayley, thanks for sharing your reporting with us.

• Hayley Sanchez:

  Thank you so much.