Police mugshots of the suspect in the attack on a Colorado LGBTQ venue have been released after the accused appeared in court for the first time.
The images of Anderson Lee Aldrich, who was arrested in the aftermath of the mass shooting at the Q Club venue in Colorado Springs, were released by the city’s police department.
Five people were shot dead and at least 25 injured in the incident on Saturday night.
The mugshots show Aldrich with visible injuries on their face and neck which are thought to be as a result of “heroic people” who intervened when they saw what was happening.
Colorado Springs mayor John Suthers paid tribute to two people including 15-year US Army veteran Richard Fierro, who was sitting nearby when the shooting started.
Mr Fierro, who has completed three tours of Iraq and one in Afghanistan, said he rushed at the suspect, pulled them to the ground, took a handgun from them and hit them with it.
Another club-goer, Thomas James, removed the gun and kicked the suspect, while a drag performer stomped on the suspect’s face with high heels, Mr Fierro said.
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“I wish I could have done more,” the veteran added. “But those (five) people aren’t home tonight, and I am. And I’m really upset by that. It’s not something I’m proud of.”
After being beaten into submission by club patrons, police took the suspect to hospital to be treated for their injuries.
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Aldrich was then moved to El Paso County Jail on Tuesday.
The suspect made their first court appearance via video link from the jail on Wednesday, where they could be seen slumped in a chair with visible bruising on their face.
Two defence lawyers appeared to need to prompt Aldrich during the brief video appearance.
The suspect spoke twice, with a slurred response, confirming their name and to say “no” when the judge asked whether they had any questions.
Late on Tuesday, defence lawyers said the accused is nonbinary and in a footnote to their filing asserted that Aldrich prefers using the pronouns “they” and “them”.
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The victims of a shooting at a gay club in Colorado have spoken out about their ordeal.
While the motive for the shooting is still under investigation and prosecutors are yet to file formal charges, authorities said Aldrich faces possible murder and hate crime charges.
Hate crime charges would require prosecutors to prove that the alleged perpetrator was motivated by bias, such as against the victims’ actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
Aldrich was ordered to be held without bail.
El Paso County Court Judge Charlotte Ankeny set the next hearing for 6 December.
Former US president Joe Biden has prostate cancer, his office has said.
The statement said Mr Biden, who left the White House in January, is reviewing options for treatment with his physicians.
It read: “Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms.
“On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterised by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.
“The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
Image: File pic: Reuters
According to Cancer Research UK, a Gleason score of 9 means the cancerous cells “look very abnormal” and the disease is “likely to grow quickly”.
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A source familiar with Mr Biden and his family’s thinking has told Sky’s US partner network, NBC News, that the former president is considering “multiple treatment options” – including hormone treatment for the cancer.
They added he is at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, and that as of now, it is unclear where the former president will be treated.
Mr Biden, 82, was the oldest person to ever serve as president, with concerns about his health raised regularly during his campaign for re-election last year.
A Mexican navy ship has hit the Brooklyn Bridge during a promotional tour in New York City.
The New York Fire Department said authorities were responding to injuries but had no details about how many people might have been hurt or whether they were on the vessel or on the bridge.
Sky’s US partner network NBC News reports that at least three people were seriously injured in the incident.
The Mexican navy said in a post on X that the Cuauhtemoc, an academy training vessel, was damaged in the accident, which has prevented it from continuing its voyage.
Eyewitness video of the collision posted online showed the mast of the ship, which was flying a large Mexican flag, scraping the underneath of the bridge.
Image: Pic: AP
The vessel then drifted toward the edge of the river as onlookers scrambled away from shore.
The Mexican navy said the status of personnel and material was under review by naval and local authorities, which were providing assistance.
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The Cuauhtemoc is about 297ft long and 40ft wide, according to the Mexican navy. It sailed for the first time in 1982.
Image: Pic: AP
Each year, it sets out at the end of classes at the naval military school to finish cadets’ training.
It left the Mexican port of Acapulco, on the Pacific coast, on 6 April with 277 people onboard, the navy said at the time.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
One person has died in a bomb explosion near a reproductive health clinic in California, authorities have said.
The incident took place in Palm Springs, a city two hours east of Los Angeles, and is being investigated as a possible car explosion.
The city’s mayor Ron DeHarte said one person died in the blast, adding that the bomb was “either in or near” a vehicle. The deceased’s identity is not known, Palm Springs police said.
Dr Maher Abdallah, who runs the American Reproductive Centers clinic, told the Associated Press his facility was damaged but all staff were safe and accounted for.
The explosion damaged the office space where the practice conducts patient consultations, but the IVF lab and stored embryos were unharmed, he added.
“I really have no clue what happened,” he said. “Thank God today happened to be a day that we have no patients.”
Image: Debris covers the ground after the explosion. Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles/AP
In a statement posted on Facebook the clinic said it was “heartbroken” to learn someone died in the explosion and added: “Our deepest condolences go out to the individuals and families affected.”
It continued: “Our mission has always been to help build families, and in times like these, we are reminded of just how fragile and precious life is.
“In the face of this tragedy, we remain committed to creating hope – because we believe that healing begins with community, compassion, and care.
The clinic will be fully operational on Monday, it added.
“This moment has shaken us – but it has not stopped us. We will continue to serve with strength, love, and the hope that brings new life into the world,” the statement concluded.
Image: Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles/AP
The Palm Springs city government said in a post on Facebook that the explosion happened on North Indian Canyon Drive, near East Tachevah Drive, before 11am local time (6pm GMT).
A burned-out car can be seen in a parking lot behind the building in aerial footage.
The blast caved in the clinic’s roof and blew debris across four lanes of the road.
Another person said he was inside a cannabis dispensary nearby when he felt a massive explosion.
Nima Tabrizi said: “The building just shook, and we go outside and there’s massive cloud smoke.”
Investigators from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are travelling to the scene to help assess what happened.
California governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the explosion, his press office said.