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Colorado Springs shooting: Man kills 6 and himself at birthday party, Internet says 'NRA has ZERO shame'

Gunman opens fire at party and kills six before taking his own life in Colorado Springs, a furious Twitter asks Congress to act

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO: Another mass shooting has left six dead, this time it is in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A gunman opened fire at a family birthday party just after midnight on May 9 at a mobile home in East Colorado Springs. According to reports, the gunman, who is yet to be identified, shot and killed six adults before taking his own life.

Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) shared in a press release that they responded to a shooting call for service at the Canterbury Mobile Home Park at approximately 12:18 am. Upon arrival, officers located six deceased adults and one adult male with serious injuries who was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. When police responded, they found the children at the party unhurt and placed them with relatives. All the victims are adults, including the person whose birthday it was. Reportedly, the shooter was the boyfriend of one of the victims. A motive for the violence has yet to be ascertained. 

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The suspect, a boyfriend of one of the female victims, drove to the residence, walked inside and began shooting people at the party before taking his own life

"I thought it was a thunderstorm," a neighbor by the name of Yenifer Reyes told The Denver Post. "Then I started hearing sirens." She said that police brought children out of the trailer, putting them into at least one patrol car. “They were crying hysterically,” she said.

So far, no national politicians have commented on the issue. Colorado Governor Jarod Polis issued a brief statement and said, "The tragic shooting in Colorado Springs is devastating". 

Colorado Springs Police Chief Vince Niski shared after the incident: “Words fall short to describe the tragedy that took place this morning. As the chief of police, as a husband, as a father, as a grandfather, as a member of this community, my heart breaks for the families who have lost someone they love and for the children who have lost their parents. From the officers who responded to the shooting to the investigators still on scene, we are all left incredibly shaken. This is something you hope never happens in your own community, in the place that you call home. When these types of unspeakable acts happen, there is nothing that can be done to fully rebuild what was lost or replace those who are no longer with us. My vow to this community and to the families who have lost someone today, is that this department will do everything we can to find you the answers you deserve and be here for you with an unwavering support.”                                                      

According to Associated Press, "It was Colorado’s worst mass shooting since a gunman killed 10 people at a Boulder supermarket on March 22." The fact that it has only been around seven weeks since that event, has shocked many on Twitter. Multiple users have taken to social media to call for wider gun control, and in some cases slam the National Rifle Organization (NRA). 

Social media slams NRA

"Six people were murdered at a birthday party in Colorado Springs this morning, but it will barely register as news because mass shootings are now a daily occurrence in America. We need a Congress with the courage to do something about that" one Twitter user posted. Another noted, "The shooting in Colorado Springs is the 22nd mass shooting this month. Today is May 9th".

Another user asked, "Can Congress declare the NRA as a terrorist organization and get them defunded?" One tweeted, "This mass shooting at a birthday party in Colorado Springs is brought to you by the republican party and the bastards at the NRA terrorist organization."

Slamming the NRA one wrote: "On a day when a guy walked into a home just outside of Colorado Springs, killed his girlfriend and mother of his children, and 5 other guests, before shooting and killing him self. The NRA has ZERO shame." One person commented, "Is it my imagination, or are we having a couple of mass shootings every day now in the US? If the NRA was based in another country, we'd be at war with it." Another tweeted, "It has now been 0 days since America last had a mass shooting. Thank you to the Colorado Springs shooter for ending our almost 24 hours of peace and quiet. God forbid we get time to live our lives calmly and without looking over our shoulders."

Ironically, the NRA posted a mother's day tweet that involved a woman with a gun, which is also being attacked in light of the tragic shooting. The tweet read: "Happy Mother’s Day to all NRA moms! On top of the millions of other jobs moms have, NRA moms fight for our right to self-defense, while also defending themselves, their families, and communities. We are forever grateful for these fierce women."

A database compiled by USA Today, Northeastern University and The Associated Press found that the state has the sixth-highest rate of public mass killings. 

Anyone who has information about this crime, or is a witness who has not spoken with detectives, is asked to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000; or if they wish to remain anonymous, they can call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.