Club Q Colorado shooting: Police hail 'heroes' who tackled gunman

The attacker left 17 others with gunshot injuries at Club Q in Colorado Springs on Saturday night, Qazet.az reports.

Police named the pair who tackled the body armour-clad gunman as Richard Fierro and Thomas James.

Mr Fierro has described tackling the suspect before striking him with his own pistol.

At a Monday afternoon press conference, police identified the victims as Daniel Aston, Derrick Rump, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh and Raymond Vance. Family members say Aston and Rump were both bartenders at Club Q.

The gunman was stopped by a 15-year US Army veteran who was attending a drag performance at the club with his wife and daughter.

Speaking to reporters on Monday evening, Richard Fierro said his combat training kicked in as he pounced on the gunman, pulling him to the floor by his body armour. 

"I just ran over there. Got him. I'm thinking, 'I gotta kill this guy. He's gonna kill my kid. He's gonna kill my wife'," said the Iraq and Afghanistan veteran.

"It's the reflex," Mr Fierro said from the front yard of his suburban Colorado Springs home. "Go. Go to the fire. Stop the action. Stop the activity. Don't let no-one get hurt."

The local brewery owner said he and his family had dropped to the floor as the bullets began to fly. 

He described seeing the gunman move in the direction of a patio where other club-goers had fled, before charging at him.