TWO clubgoers who bravely fought and disarmed the shooting suspect in the horrific rampage in Colorado Springs that left five people dead have been identified. Army veteran Richard M. Fierro, who was one of two people who helped take down the suspect, recounted: "I have to kill this guy before he kills us."
Police have identified two people who fought against the alleged Club Q shooterAFP
APRichard M. Fierro, an Army veteran, was identified as one of two men who helped tackle the suspect '/ '
FacebookFierro served four tours as an Army officer '/ '
ReutersFierro's daughter, Kassy, lost her boyfriend in the shooting '/ ' Fierro was at Club Q in Colorado Springs with his wife, daughter, and a few friends watching a drag show when gunfire erupted in the nightclub. As a 15-year veteran who served four tours as an Army officer in Iraq and Afghanistan, he says his instincts kicked in, telling him to fight back. "I don't know exactly what I did, I just went into combat mode," he told the New York Times. "I just know I have to kill this guy before he kills us." READ MORE ON THIS STORY
BAR BLOODBATH At least five dead in mass shooting at LGBTQ club in Colorado Springs
DISTURBING HISTORY Dark past of Colorado 'shooter' Anderson Lee Aldrich revealed Fierro said that he hit the floor when the shooting started, pulling a friend down with him as he saw the gunman move across the room, heading toward a patio where many of the bar patrons had ran. With the help of another man, Thomas James, Fierro was able to subdue the alleged shooter. The veteran said that he ran across the room and grabbed the shooter by the handle on the back of his body armor, pulling him to the floor and jumped on top of him. "Was he shooting at the time? Was he about to shoot? I don't know," Fierro said. Most read in The US Sun UNSOUND Wheel of Fortune fans spot glaring error in 'incorrect' puzzle SEEKING RELEASE Delphi 'killer's' lawyers ask for bail just hours before court hearing CLOTHING CONVOS I got sent home for my 'inappropriate' outfit, I tested out a theory why FINAL MOVEMENTS Tragic last moments of Idaho students revealed after eerie 'link' emerges AWKWARD! Today's Hoda Kotb stuns Jenna Bush Hager on live TV with embarrassing photo BODY POSITIVE I'm a chubby girl - I go from a 5 to a 10 when I take my sweater off "I just knew I had to take him down." Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said that he spoke to Fierro on Monday, explaining: "In my opinion, he saved a lot of lives. "I have never encountered a person who has engaged in such heroic actions who was so humble about it.... The nightclub's owners said ...dozens and dozens of lives... had been saved by their actions. ...We owe them a great debt of thanks,... added Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez. One of the victims in the shooting was Raymond Green Vance, boyfriend of Fierro's daughter Kassy. "Boyfriend is an understatement," she wrote in a heartbreaking Facebook post, along with a photo of her and Raymond. ...You are my forever. My future. My everything. I love you.... Kassy injured her knee after slipping and falling while trying to run away. ...My dad has always been a hero,... she wrote in a separate post. BAR BLOODBATH In addition to the five deaths, multiple other people were injured in the horrific attack. Witnesses at the scene described fearing that they were going to die as the shooter rampaged through the club. Bartender Michael Anderson told the Mirror: ...I was preparing to get shot, when the shots then stopped. ...After a minute or two, I wasn't sure if it was over or not, so I got up and decided to make a run for it. ...I found a man lying on the floor after being shot in the neck.... Gaby Lamah, 32, a club patron of several years, told the outlet that her friends made a ...last minute decision... not to visit the venue last night. She described Club Q as one of a limited number of nightclubs catering to the LGBTQ community in the area. In a statement on social media, Club Q said it was "devastated by the senseless attack on our community" and offered condolences to victims and their families. "We thank the quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack.... The shooting took place on Transgender Day of Remembrance, in which Americans remember those killed due to transphobia. It was first observed in 1999 and is held annually on November 20 to draw attention and awareness to the continued violence endured by transgender people. The tragedy in Colorado Springs follows a mass shooting at an Orlando LGBTQ+ bar in 2016 that left 49 people dead. ALLEGED SHOOTER The suspect 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich is reportedly related to Republican California state assembly member Randy Voepel. Social media posts under Aldrich's mother's name Laura Voepel viewed by The Sun appear to confirm the connection. ...Keep up the work Dad~~ You work hard to improve our lives and a lot of us take notice,... Laura wrote in an April 2020 post. ...For my off-road friends! My Dad is all for recreation vehicles. Go Randy,... a 2017 post read. The Republican is a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump and vocally supported the January 6 riots at the Capitol in Washington D.C. last year. At the time, the state assembly member told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the insurrection was similar to the American Revolutionary War. "This is Lexington and Concord. First shots fired against tyranny," Voepel said days after the riot. "Tyranny will follow in the aftermath of the Biden swear-in on January 20th." According to The Guardian, Aldrich registered to vote in May 2021, however, he did not declare an affiliation with any party at the time. No publicly confirmed photos of Aldrich – or an official mug shot – have been released. Since his arrest, several outlets have also reported that the alleged gunman threatened his mother with a homemade bomb last year. In June 2021, a suspect with the same name was arrested following a bomb scare. At the time, KOAA reported that Aldrich's mother called the police saying he threatened to hurt her with ...a homemade bomb, multiple weapons, and ammunition." Law enforcement, including a bomb squad and crisis negotiators, quickly arrived at the Colorado Springs residence, however, neither Aldrich nor his mother were present when they got there. They later found him at another address a mile away. He refused to come out, sparking a three-hour standoff before he eventually gave himself up. Around ten homes were evacuated but no explosives were found at either scene. Aldrich was arrested on two counts of felony menacing and three counts of first-degree kidnapping, KRDO reported at the time. Despite the arrest, the Associated Press has reported that there is no record of prosecutors moving forward with the charges. VICTIMS IDENTIFIED The other victims identified in the tragedy are Ashley Laugh, 35, a mother who helped foster children find homes; Daniel Aston, 28, a bartender and entertainer that worked at the club; Kelly Loving, 40, who was described by her sister as "caring and sweet"; and Derrick Rump, 38, who also worked as a bartender, known for his quick wit. In a statement, Vance's family said that he was adored by his family and the 22-year-old had recently gotten a job at FedEx. He had hoped to save enough money to get his own apartment. Read More on The US Sun
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BALENCIAG-NAH Kim Kardashian slammed for standing by Balenciaga amid ad backlash ...My boys are gone. Plz take care of each other. I love you both so much," a co-worker at Club Q wrote in an online tribute. The shooting is being investigated as a hate crime, assisted by the FBI.
Kassy Fierro's boyfriend, Raymond Green Vance, 22, was one of the five deceased victimsReuters
ReutersFive people were killed in the shooting on Saturday '/ '
GettyThe shooting happened on Transgender Day of Remembrance, in which Americans remember those killed due to transphobia '/ '
