Police Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

CO Nightclub Killer Had Record of Threats, Previous Charges Dropped

He was reportedly stopped when a man attending a drag show at the club with his wife and daughter wrestled him to the floor and hit the suspected killer with a handgun after snatching it from his hand.

November 21, 2022
2 min to read


Authorities have named Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, as the lone suspect in the deadly shooting at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Saturday night that left five people dead and at least 25 others injured.

In June 2021, a man with the name of Anderson Lee Aldrich of the same age was arrested for making a bomb threat to a suburban neighborhood in southeast Colorado Springs, according to The Gazette, a local newspaper.

Ad Loading...

Aldrich’s mother told police her son threatened her with a homemade bomb and other weapons, according to The Gazette.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office evacuated the neighborhood and shut the area down until Aldrich came out of a house he was in.

Aldrich was charged with two counts of felony menacing and three counts of first-degree kidnapping, but the charges were later dropped and the records were sealed, the Hill reports.

Police recovered a long gun and a handgun from Club Q, a popular gay and lesbian bar in Colorado Springs. The New York Times reported that the suspect fired an AR-15 style rifle and was wearing body armor.

He was reportedly stopped when a man attending a drag show at the club with his wife and daughter wrestled him to the floor and hit the suspected killer with a handgun after snatching it from his hand.

Ad Loading...

Richard M. Fierro, who served in the Army for 15 years, said he raced across the room, grabbed the suspected gunman by a handle on the back of his body armor, pulled him to the floor and jumped on top of him, knocking the rifle out of his reach, the New York Times reports.

Fierro then grabbed the suspect’s pistol and hit him with it repeatedly.  

More Patrol

Three tactical backpacks set against a desert background with an inset logo for 5.11.
PatrolJanuary 21, 2026

5.11 Debuts New Load-Bearing Gear at SHOT Show

5.11 launched a variety of new load-bearing gear, ranging from backpacks to chest packs, designed for training, travel, and everyday readiness, this week during SHOT Show 2026.

Read More →
Blue background with Streamlight logo at top and inset images of one handgun light, two rifle lights, and one handheld light.
PatrolJanuary 21, 2026

Streamlight Launches the Rechargeable TLR-3X & Other Lights at SHOT Show

Streamlight launched the TLR-3X and TLR-3X USB, two new weapon lights, and an assortment of other new lights during SHOT Show 2026.

Read More →
dark ballistic sunglasses against a blue smokey background
PatrolJanuary 21, 2026

EOTech & Fast Metal Introduce the EOTech Halen Ballistic Spectacle System

Built on the proven Halen platform, the new EOTech x Fast Metal Halen Ballistic Spectacle System is the only aluminum frame listed on the U.S. Army’s Authorized Protective Eyewear List.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Black background, outline of Florida, headline 2 Officers Shot
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJanuary 14, 2026

2 Florida Officers Shot After Shots-Fired Call

Two officers were shot in Gainesville, Florida, by a man who police say was leaving an area where he had killed a man inside a business. The suspect exited his vehicle in what the chief termed an “ambush-style” attack.

Read More →
Blue-tinted background photo of hand hanging up an office phone and headline Richmond Heights PD: Harassment and Threats Will Be Addressed Accordingly
PatrolJanuary 14, 2026

Mistaken Identity: Ohio Police Department Harassed After ICE OIS

An Ohio police department has received harassing phone calls and social media messages because it has an officer with the same name as the ICE officer identified in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, officer-involved shooting.

Read More →
Black background with POLICE logo, police light bar, and headline Top 10 Videos of 2025.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJanuary 7, 2026

Top 10 POLICE Videos of 2025

What were the top videos published by POLICE in 2025? Many covered tactics and officer safety, while others came from booth visits at IACP in Denver, Colorado. In case you missed these, here are the top 10 videos.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Blue tinted background of a police dispatcher with headline Flock Safety + Coreforce Integation
TechnologyJanuary 7, 2026

Flock Safety and Coreforce Partner to Enhance Real-Time Awareness and Operational Efficiency for Law Enforcement

A new integration partnership will enable Flock Safety hotlist alerts and license plate recognition (LPR) searches directly in Coreforce’s Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) and Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) platform.

Read More →
three background images - man in tactical gear, image of ballistic helmet, photo of police officer in tactical gear approaching a car, and a circle with logo for Ballistic Armor Co.
PatrolJanuary 7, 2026

Ballistic Armor Co. Secures Strategic Investment to Expand U.S. Production Capabilities

Ballistic Armor Co. secured a new commitment that will accelerate its multi-year transition from a third-party tactical equipment retailer to a premium innovator and U.S. manufacturer of advanced protective systems.

Read More →
image of men on bicycles and women competing in martial arts and a log for the US Police & Fire Championships
PatrolDecember 10, 2025

Police & Fire Championships Expands Athlete Eligibility

The US Police & Fire Championships is now open to all employees – sworn, civilian, administrative, technical, and support staff – who work directly for an eligible public safety agency.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Thumbnail for video series POLICE Topics, Tactic & TIps against a black background and an illuminated police car light bar. Headline for Tips for Watching the Hands
Sponsoredby Wayne ParhamDecember 5, 2025

Tips for Watching the Hands

How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.

Read More →