Colorado Springs, Colorado – The shooter responsible for the tragic deaths of five people at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs appeared in federal court to face hate crime and firearm charges. Anderson Aldrich, 23, entered a not guilty plea to 50 hate charges and 24 firearm violations on Tuesday. This comes after Aldrich previously pleaded guilty to five counts of murder and 46 counts of attempted murder in state court last June, one for each person at Club Q during the attack on November 19, 2022.
Aldrich, who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, also entered a no contest plea to state charges for hate crimes under a plea agreement. The plea signaled acknowledgment that there was a high likelihood of conviction without admitting guilt. The pleas carried the same weight as a conviction.
During the hearing, Aldrich appeared via video and was represented by David Kraut with the federal public defender’s office. Telephone and email messages left with Kraut’s office were not immediately returned. This hearing shocked Jeff Aston, whose son Daniel Aston was shot and killed in the attack, upon hearing the defendant plead not guilty.
The federal charges followed an FBI investigation into the shooting that was confirmed after Aldrich’s sentencing in state court. District Attorney Michael Allen mentioned the threat of the death penalty in the federal system as a major factor in Aldrich’s decision to plead guilty to the state charges.
The attack at Club Q, a popular hangout for the LGBTQ+ community in Colorado Springs, resulted in the loss of innocent lives and shattered the sense of safety at the establishment. It was only stopped by the brave intervention of a Navy officer who grabbed the barrel of the suspect’s rifle, burning his hand, and an Army veteran who helped subdue and beat Aldrich until police arrived.
The tragic event has left a lasting impact on the LGBTQ+ community and their sense of safety, with the need for justice and accountability remaining at the forefront of the victims’ families’ minds. The federal charges brought against Aldrich shed light on the severity and deep-rooted impact of hate crimes, emphasizing the importance of addressing and combatting such acts of violence.