‘Non-binary’ Club Q shooter charged with 50 federal hate crimes in Colorado

The gunman who shot and killed five people and injured 40 others in a mass shooting at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs has been charged with more than 50 federal hate crimes. 

Anderson Lee Aldrich pleaded not guilty to the additional charges on Tuesday, according to ABC News.

Aldrich, who is "non-binary" and uses "they/them" pronouns, was sentenced to life in prison on June 26, 2023.

On Nov. 19, 2022, Aldrich went on a shooting spree and opened fire in a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub called Club Q. He fatally shot five people with an AR-15, and wounded more than 40 others.

Last summer, Aldrich pleaded guilty to five counts of murder and 46 counts of attempted murder. He was ordered by a judge to serve five consecutive life sentences, plus 48 years on each attempted murder charge.
 

On Jan. 9, the Department of Justice reached a plea agreement with Aldrich. Under the conditions of the plea agreement, Aldrich will not face the death penalty in exchange for pleading guilty to 74 charges.

The court filing states: "Among other provisions, the agreement provides that the defendant will plead guilty to every count of a 74-count Information charging him with federal hate crimes in violation of relevant provisions of the Shepard-Byrd Act, 18 U.S.C. § 249, and appurtenant gun crimes in violation of the relevant provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 924."

"The United States is not seeking the death penalty in this case. The parties have agreed that multiple concurrent life sentences plus a consecutive sentence of 190 years imprisonment is sufficient but not greater than necessary to achieve the goals of criminal justice," the filing states.

Aldrich was stopped by "heroic" patrons at the nightclub, only after he had shot and killed victims Kelly Loving, 40; Daniel Aston, 28; Derrick Rump, 38; Ashley Paugh, 34; and Raymond Green Vance, 22.