'There were bodies on the ground': Club Q massacre witness details harrowing moment gunman began firing
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO: A ghastly shooting incident occurred at a popular gay nightclub, Club Q on Sunday, November 20, leading to five deaths and leaving eighteen injured. One of the witnesses, Joshua Thurman, gave an account of what happened that fateful night at the club.
Thurman said, "I was on the dance floor when I heard four to five shots ring out." He continued, "I thought it was the music ... Either the music was so loud that we couldn't hear anybody scream for help, or we just didn't hear anybody scream for help." The police have arrested 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich, who is the accused in the case, as per NBC.
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After Thurman reportedly heard the sound of gunshots, he realized that there was hardly any time to think. Thurman said, “Then I heard another set of shots, and then I and a customer ran to the dressing room, got on the ground and locked the doors, and called the police immediately.” “I hope I make it out alive,” he told himself. "I was thinking of my mom, friends, and loved ones." He continued, “But we heard everything. There was a third round of shots, and thank God there were two people that work at Club Q that managed to detain the assailant.” According to NBC, the witness detailed, he worried that "At any second, this man could just burst through the door and kill us if he really wanted to."
Thurman also stated, “As a Black kid, it’s taboo to be gay, so coming here, this is one of the first places that I felt accepted to be who I am. It’s supposed to be our safe place. A community shouldn’t have to go through something like this for us to come together. This is our home. This is our space. We come here to enjoy ourselves, and this happens?” The witness was seen uncontrollably sobbing throughout the interaction with the media, reported KOAA. He said, as they looked outside the door and police escorted them out, “There were bodies on the ground… blood, broken glass, broken cups, and outside it was worse.”
“We owe them a great debt,” Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said as Thurman and others informed the police about this shocking incident. Thurman further claimed, “This is the only LGBTQIA+ place in the entire city of Colorado Springs. "What are we supposed to do? Where are we supposed to go? How are we supposed to feel safe in our environment when it just got shot up?” Thurman concluded saying with a message, “We love you… my condolences go out to the families that have lost loved ones. It’s hard, be strong, keep pushing forward, because again, we are strong, we are a tough community, and we will get through this," reported abc27.