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New Federal Hate Crime and Firearm Charges Filed Against Colorado LGBTQ Nightclub Shooter

A Colorado LGBTQ nightclub shooter, Anderson Lee Aldrich, has been hit with additional federal hate crime and firearm charges. The shooter, responsible for killing five people and injuring dozens in a tragic massacre, plans to plead guilty to 50 hate crime charges and 24 firearm violations to avoid the death penalty, as revealed in court documents made public on Tuesday.

If approved by a judge, the agreement with prosecutors would result in Aldrich receiving multiple life sentences in addition to a 190-year sentence. This development comes after Aldrich previously pleaded guilty to five counts of murder and 46 counts of attempted murder, representing each individual present at Club Q during the attack on November 19, 2022, in Colorado Springs. Additionally, they had pleaded no contest to two hate crimes, one being a felony and the other a misdemeanor, leading to a life sentence in June 2023.

The massacre at the Colorado Springs nightclub occurred when Aldrich, armed with an AR-15-style semiautomatic weapon, opened fire on patrons and staff. The attack was halted by a courageous Naval officer and Army veteran who intervened and put an end to the violence.

Further investigation revealed that Aldrich, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, was coerced by their nonbinary mother to frequent LGBTQ clubs. It was also discovered that Aldrich operated a neo-Nazi website and frequently used racist and homophobic slurs while playing online video games. However, the motive behind their presence at the club, leaving, and returning dressed in body armor before initiating the shooting remains unknown.

In phone conversations from behind bars, Aldrich disclosed to The Associated Press that they were under the influence of numerous drugs and abusing steroids during the attack. They vehemently denied any claims of being motivated by hate, stating that it was “completely off base.”

Prosecutors, on the other hand, argue that Aldrich had never previously identified as nonbinary before the shooting and believe their current identification is solely an attempt to evade hate crime charges.

Jeff Aston, the father of Daniel Aston, one of the victims in the attack, expressed his grief and anger, labeling the massacre a “hateful, stupid, heinous, and cowardly act.” He shared his desire for Aldrich to suffer as much as the pain inflicted upon the victims and their families.

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