The suspected gunman in the Colorado Springs nightclub shooting has been named as 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich.
Colorado Springs Police Department Deputy Chief Adrian Vasquez confirmed the suspect’s name at a press conference on Sunday morning, hours after five people were killed and 18 others were injured inside LGBT+ nightclub Club Q.
Mr Vasquez said the suspect entered the club and began shooting “immediately” with a long rifle.
At least two “heroic people inside the club confronted and fought with the suspect,” according to Mr Vasquez.
“Their actions clearly saved lives,” added Mayor John Suthers.
A post on the club’s Facebook page said that people inside the building helped stop the gunman.
“Our [prayers] and thoughts are with all the victims and their families and friends,” Club Q’s post reads. “We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.”
Police officers responded to the scene at 11.57pm after 911 dispatchers received “numerous” calls that there was an active shooter inside the club, Colorado Springs Police Department spokesperson Lt Pam Castro said at an earlier press conference.
More than 30 firefighters and 11 ambulances responded to the scene, and ambulances transported three patients at a time to local hospitals.
The suspect was taken into custody and hospitalised with undisclosed injuries.
Two firearms were recovered from the club. It remains unclear how many shots were fired. Officials have thus far declined to discuss a motive.
The FBI has joined the investigation.
Two people remain in critical condition with life-threatening injuries as of Sunday morning.
A previous version of this story misspelled the suspect’s surname
