By Enyichukwu Enemanna
At least five people were late Saturday killed and 18 injured in a shooting at a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender L.G.B.T nightclub in Colorado Springs, the US police said early Sunday morning.
Lt. Pamela Castro, a public information officer with the Colorado Springs Police Department, said at a news conference outside the nightclub, Club Q, that the investigation was only beginning and that the number of victims was subject to change.
She added that the victims had been taken to multiple area hospitals.
After the police received an initial call about an active shooting at 11:57 p.m., Lieutenant Castro said, officers entered the club and took into custody an individual they believed to be a suspect.
The suspect was also injured and was being treated at a hospital, Lieutenant Castro said.
In a statement on its Facebook page, Club Q said it was “devastated by the senseless attack on our community.”
The club added, “We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”
This is one of the series of attacks targeting L.G.B.T.Q. venues in the United States.
In 2016, a gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., after proclaiming allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group.
