LULAC AWARDS PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL AND $5,000 TO RICH FIERRO, THE HERO WHO TOOK DOWN COLORADO MASS SHOOTER
December 6, 2022
For more information, contact
David Cruz at (818) 689-9991
davidcruz@lulac.org
President of the Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Calls Fierro An Example of Ordinary Americans Who Perform Extraordinary Acts
Washington, DC – Domingo Garcia, National President of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), told a packed audience of the Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber Tuesday that Rich Fierro is America's hero who saved the lives of many others, even at the risk of losing his own. The Army combat veteran bolted into action to remove the mass shooter who opened fire on November 19 at Club Q, a popular nightclub with the local LGBTQ community. The shooter now faces 305 criminal counts, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault, and bias-motivated crimes causing bodily injury.
"Richard Fierro is a man who stood up in the face of great danger and made a difference to save lives," says Garcia. "Great Americans are ordinary people who rise and do extraordinary things. We are honored to recognize Richard; he is a fine example of what each of us can and must do in helping one another," added Garcia.
The gunman killed five people and wounded 25 others in the seconds that Fierro instinctively rushed the shooter. The former soldier grabbed the attacker's body armor and yanked him to the ground, where he pummeled the shooter with his own handgun, leaving him bloodied and unable to move. Other patrons then jumped in and helped Fierro, including his wife. Among those killed was the boyfriend of Fierro's daughter, who was with them when the gunman opened fire.
"Rich, who was twice honored with the Bronze Star for heroism, and his message today shows why," says Sonny Subia, Colorado LULAC State Director. "He was moved by love and deep caring for other people, even more than himself. He calls us all his family, and that spirit, along with his humility, is inspiring," he added.
LULAC strongly denounced the attack and called on Congress and the Biden Administration to move swiftly to make hate crimes of this nature a federal capital offense, with no deals for the people who commit them. Also, LULAC called out politicians and said Fierro's bravery flies in the face of their scapegoating of Latinos, especially migrants, through vile hate speech to gain votes at any cost. "LULAC reminds America that fear-mongering leads to these types of deadly attacks but thank God we have American heroes like Rich Fierro who stand up to danger and act to defend other people," says Garcia. "Rich Fierro protected his family first and without hesitation leaped into the breach to place his own body between them and those enemies who would do us harm," said Garcia. "Throughout our modern history, this is the price Latinos heroes have paid for our nation's freedoms," he added.