(ReclaimingAmerica.net) – US Army veteran Rich Fierro is the man who stopped the gunman on a shooting rampage at an LGBT club in Colorado Springs last Saturday night, saving dozens of lives.
Fierro tackled the shooter, 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich, to the ground and was helped by another patron, Thomas James, to subdue him until the police arrived, according to an Associated Press report cited by The Washington Times.
Even though the former US Army man reacted immediately after the first shots, Aldrich managed to kill five and wound at least 17 of the visitors of Club Q in Colorado Springs, a meeting place for the local gay community.
As a serviceman in US Army, Rich Fierro did three tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq.
“It’s the reflex. Go! Go to the fire. Stop the action. Stop the activity. Don’t let no one get hurt. I tried to bring everybody back,” the veteran told reporters outside his home.
Fierro had gone to the LGBT club to see a drag show with relatives and friends, including his daughter Kassy and her boyfriend, Raymond Green Vance. Vance was one of the people killed in the shooting spree.
“Fierro teared up as he recalled Raymond smiling and dancing before the shots rang out,” the report said.
The Army vet brought down the shooter by grabbing his body armor while the other patron kicked away his AR-15-style rifle.
As Aldrich tried to pull out a handgun, Fierro grabbed it and started beating him with it.
“I tried to finish him,” he said.
“Nobody in that club asked to do this [but everyone] is going to have to live with it now,” Fierro said about the mass shooting.
Fierro and James pinned down the attacker until the police came. After that, Fierro was handcuffed and taken to a police car for a while.
“I have never encountered a person who had engaged in such heroic actions who was so humble about it. He simply said to me, ‘I was trying to protect my family,’” Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said.
The former US Army serviceman regretted not being able to save everyone in the nightclub.
“There are five people that I could not help. And one of which was family to me,” Fierro said alongside his brother.
“I love them. I have nothing but love,” added the Army vet referring to the LGBT community.
“I’m gonna see that guy in court. And that guy’s gonna see who did him,” Fierro declared.
As the shooter was pinned under a barrage of punches from Fierro and kicks to the head from James, he tried to reach for his pistol. Fierro grabbed it and used it as a bludgeon. https://t.co/O2gdBZChbd
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) November 22, 2022
