5 dead, 25 injured in US nightclub shooting, suspect held

The incident took place late Saturday night at Club Q in the city of Colorado Springs, located about an hour away from the state capital Denver.

Police received calls at 11.56 p.m. on Saturday night about an active shooter, the Colorado Springs Police Department said in a statement on Sunday.

The first officer arrived at midnight and the suspect, identified as Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, was detained two minutes later, police said.

Aldrich, who is also being treated for injuries, immediately started shooting as he entered the club with a rifle, Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez told a news conference on Sunday.

"Initial evidence and interviews indicate that the suspect entered Club Q and immediately began shooting at people inside as he moved further into the club.

"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. We owe them a great debt of thanks," he was quoted as saying.

Two firearms were found at the scene, and the shooter is thought to have used a long rifle.

The police have not suggest a motive for the shooting but said the investigation would consider whether it was a hate crime, and if more than one person was involved.

The club was hosting a dance party at the time, and had planned to hold a performance event on Sunday evening to celebrate Transgender Day of Remembrance, the BBC reported.

Reacting to the incident, President Joe Biden said on Sunday that "yet another community in America has been torn apart by gun violence".

"Gun violence continues to have a devastating and particular impact on LGBTQI+ communities across our nation and threats of violence are increasing.

"Places that are supposed to be safe spaces of acceptance and celebration should never be turned into places of terror and violence... We cannot and must not tolerate hate.

"More families left with an empty chair at the table and hole in their lives that cannot be filled... When will we decide we've had enough?" Biden added

He urged efforts to "address the public health epidemic of gun violence in all of its forms" and "enact an assault weapons ban to get weapons of war off America's streets".

(IANS)