Suspect in Colorado gay club shooting that killed five and injure 25 is charged Monday with 305 counts – including murder and hate crimes

Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, was hit with a slew of charges for the rampage, which left Five people were dead and dozens injured

Victims killed were identified as Kelly Loving, 40; Daniel Aston, 28; Derrick Rump, 38; Ashley Paugh, 34; and Raymond Green Vance, 22

Aldrich has been held without bond since the Club Q shootings on Nov. 19

If convicted, Aldrich faces mandatory life sentence without possibility of parole

The 25-year-old man accused of entering a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs and opening fire with an AR-15-style rifle, that left five people dead while injuring dozens of others, was formally charged on Tuesday with murder, hate crimes and assault. 
Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, wore a neon yellow jail uniform and appeared alert for the hearing in El Paso District Court as the charges were read.
In contrast to his last court appearance, when he was seen slouched in his chair from his jail cell and had to be prompted by his attorneys to respond to the judge’s questions.

Colorado gay club shooting suspect faces mandatory life after 22-year-old is charged with 305 counts including include first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault

Aldrich, who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, according to defense court filings, has been held without bond since the November 19 rampage at Club Q in Colorado Springs that left five people dead and dozens injured. 
The 305 charges include first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault and bias-motivated crimes. If convicted of first-degree murder, Aldrich faces a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. 

Of the 48 hate crime charges, 27 counts involve injuries and 21 involve people fearing injury or property damage.
In addition to those killed or wounded by gunfire, police have said five people had non-gunshot injuries and other victims had “no visible injuries.”
Aldrich had been held on hate crime charges following the attack but prosecutors had said previously they were not sure whether those counts would stick because they needed to assess if there was adequate evidence to show it was a bias motivated crime.

Investigators said Aldrich entered Club Q, a sanctuary for the LGBTQ community in the mostly conservative city of Colorado Springs, just before midnight on Nov. 19 and began shooting during a drag queen’s birthday celebration. 
Those killed were identified as Kelly Loving, 40; Daniel Aston, 28; Derrick Rump, 38; Ashley Paugh, 34; and Raymond Green Vance, 22.

The massacre stopped after patrons reportedly, wrestled the suspect to the ground, beating Aldrich into submission with his own weapon. 
The two men with military backgrounds subdued Aldrich until police arrived. A former Army major and decorated Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran, Richard Fierro, told reporters that he disarmed Aldrich and pistol-whipped him into submission.
The other man credited with subduing Aldrich, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas James, said in a written statement that he just wanted ‘to save the family I found.’ 
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Aldrich had been held on hate crime charges but prosecutors had said previously they weren’t sure if those counts would stick because they needed to assess if there was adequate evidence to show it was a bias motivated crime.
District Attorney Michael Allen had noted that murder charges would carry the harshest penalty – likely life in prison – but also said it was important to show the community that bias motivated crimes are not tolerated if there was evidence to support the charge. 
In his booking photo, Aldrich appeared battered, with face and neck bruises apparently sustained when beaten by the bar’s patrons.

According to witnesses, Aldrich fired first at people gathered at the club´s bar before spraying bullets across the dance floor during the attack, which came on the eve of an annual day of remembrance for transgender people lost to violence.
More than a year before the shooting, in June 2021, Aldrich was arrested on allegations of making a bomb threat that led to the evacuation of about 10 homes. Aldrich threatened to harm their own family with a homemade bomb, ammunition and multiple weapons, authorities said at the time. 
Aldrich was booked into jail on suspicion of felony menacing and kidnapping, but the case was apparently later sealed and it´s unclear what became of the charges. There are no public indications that the case led to a conviction.

Ring doorbell footage AP shows Aldrich arriving at their mother´s front door with a big black bag, telling her the police were nearby and adding, ‘This is where I stand. Today I die.’
Colorado no longer has a death-penalty statute. However, Aldrich could face a death sentence in federal court if prosecutors decide to charge him with crimes under the U.S. code, which still has capital punishment on its books for certain crimes.

Lawyers assigned to represent Aldrich from the Colorado public defender’s office have said in court filings that their client identifies his gender as nonbinary and prefers ‘they’ and ‘them’ pronouns.
District Attorney Michael Allen said after Aldrich’s initial court appearance on Nov. 23 that the suspect’s gender identity would have no bearing on how the case would be prosecuted.