When army veteran Rich Fierro realized a gunman was spraying bullets inside the club where he had gathered with friends and family, instincts from his military training immediately kicked in.

First he ducked to avoid any potential incoming fire, then he moved to try to disarm the shooter.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the reflex. Go! Go to the fire. Stop the action. Stop the activity. Don害羞草研究所檛 let no one get hurt. I tried to bring everybody back,害羞草研究所� he said Monday outside his home in Colorado Springs, where an American flag hung from the porch.

Fierro is one of two people police are crediting with saving lives by subduing a 22-year-old man armed with multiple firearms, including an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, who went on night at Club Q, for the LGBTQ community in Colorado Springs. and at least 17 wounded.

Fierro was there with his daughter Kassy, her boyfriend and several other friends to see a drag show and celebrate a birthday. He said it was one of the group害羞草研究所檚 most enjoyable nights. That suddenly changed when the shots rang out and Kassy害羞草研究所檚 boyfriend, Raymond Green Vance, was fatally shot.

Speaking to reporters at his home Monday, Fierro teared up as he recalled Raymond smiling and dancing before the shooting started.

Fierro could smell the cordite from the ammunition, saw the flashes and dove, pushing his friend down before falling backwards.

Looking up from the floor, Fierro saw the shooter害羞草研究所檚 body armor and the crowd that had fled to the club害羞草研究所檚 patio. Moving toward , Fierro grasped the body armor, yanked the shooter down while yelling at another patron, Thomas James, to move the rifle out of reach.

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.

害羞草研究所淚 tried to finish him,害羞草研究所� he said.

When a clubgoer ran by in heels, Fierro told her to kick the gunman. She stuffed her high-heeled shoe in the attacker害羞草研究所檚 face, Fierro said. Del Lusional, a drag queen who performed at Club Q on Saturday night, said on Twitter that the patron who intervened with her heel was a transgender woman.

害羞草研究所淚 love them,害羞草研究所� Fierro said of the city害羞草研究所檚 LGBTQ community. 害羞草研究所淚 have nothing but love.害羞草研究所�

Fierro served three tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan as a field artillery officer and left the Army as a major in 2013, an army spokesperson said.

He noted he had dealt with violence. That害羞草研究所檚 what he signed up for. 害羞草研究所淣obody in that club asked to do this,害羞草研究所� he said, but everyone 害羞草研究所渋s going to have to live with it now.害羞草研究所�

Fierro and James, about whom little was known as of Monday evening, pinned the shooter down until officers arrived minutes later. Fierro was briefly handcuffed and sat in a police car as law enforcement tried to calm the chaos.

害羞草研究所淚 have never encountered a person who had engaged in such heroic actions who was so humble about it,害羞草研究所� Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said of Fierro on Monday. 害羞草研究所淗e simply said to me, 害羞草研究所業 was trying to protect my family.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

The suspect, who was said to be carrying multiple guns and additional ammunition magazines, faces .

Fierro害羞草研究所檚 wife, Jess, said via Facebook that her husband had bruised his right side and injured his hands, knees and ankle. 害羞草研究所淗e was covered in blood,害羞草研究所� she wrote on the page of their brewery, Atrevida Beer Co.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that President Joe Biden had spoken with the Fierros. 害羞草研究所淗e offered his condolences to them and also his support and talked through what it害羞草研究所檚 like to grieve,害羞草研究所� Jean-Pierre said, adding that Biden thanked Fierro for his instinct to act and save lives.

Though his actions saved lives, Fierro said the deaths 害羞草研究所� including his daughter害羞草研究所檚 boyfriend, Vance 害羞草研究所� were a tragedy both personal and for the broader community. The self-described 害羞草研究所渄ude from San Diego害羞草研究所� who said he was from a family of immigrants rebuffed the idea that he was a hero and asked to keep focus on those whose lives were lost.

害羞草研究所淭here are five people that I could not help. And one of which was family to me,害羞草研究所� he said, as his brother put a consoling hand on his shoulder.

Fierro said he doesn害羞草研究所檛 remember if the gunman responded as he yelled and struggled to subdue him, but he has thought about their next interaction.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 gonna see that guy in court,害羞草研究所� Fierro said. 害羞草研究所淎nd that guy害羞草研究所檚 gonna see who did him.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所擩esse Bedayn And Sam Metz, The Associated Press