The person who opened fire at a Colorado Springs nightclub, killing five, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for murder, with victims speaking of a ‘monster’ stalking LGBTQ+ patrons during a a calculated attack last year.
Surviving victims and family members of those killed spoke at an emotional hearing of sentencing comments on Monday, after Anderson Lee Aldrich pleaded guilty to murder and did not contest two hate crime charges.
“That thing sitting in that courtroom is not a human, it’s a monster,” said Jessica Fierro, whose daughter’s boyfriend was killed. The devil is waiting with open arms. »
The father of a Club Q bartender says Daniel Aston was in his prime when he was shot and killed.
“There was a great light in this world that was extinguished by a heinous, evil and cowardly act,” said Jeff Aston. I’ll never hear him laugh at my dad jokes again. »
The response to the charge filed by Anderson Lee Aldrich comes just seven months after the shooting and spares the families of the victims and survivors a long and potentially painful trial.
Aldrich pleaded guilty to five counts of murder and 46 counts of attempted murder. Aldrich also pleaded uncontested to two counts of bias-motivated acts, one a felony and the other a misdemeanor.
Those in the courtroom wiped away tears as Judge Michael McHenry explained the charges and read the names of the victims.
“I forgive this individual, as he is a symbol of a broken system, of the hatred and vitriol pushed against us as a community,” said Wyatt Kent, who was in a relationship with Daniel Aston.
Aldrich mostly looked down as the victims spoke.
“I intentionally and premeditatedly caused the death of every victim,” Aldrich told the judge.
The prosecution’s response follows a series of prison phone calls from Aldrich to The Associated Press (AP) expressing remorse and an intention to face the consequences of his actions.
Several survivors reacted, at the request of the AP, to Aldrich’s comments to the news agency. They said prosecutors informed them that Aldrich, who is non-binary and uses neuter pronouns, would plead guilty to charges that would warrant a life sentence.
More than 300 counts
Aldrich initially faced more than 300 counts, including murder and hate crimes. The U.S. Department of Justice is considering pursuing federal hate crime charges, according to a senior law enforcement official familiar with the matter who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to discuss of the current case.
The attack at Club Q came more than a year after Aldrich was arrested for threatening his grandparents and vowing to be the next person responsible for a mass shooting. But the charges were ultimately dropped in that case.
Victims’ family members and survivors told Monday’s hearing that their lives were forever changed by the terror that erupted just before midnight on November 19 when Aldrich fired an indiscriminate rifle with a semi -automatic type AR-15 in Club Q.