Club Q Shooter Pleads Guilty to Mass Shooting That Left 5 Dead

The suspect in the mass shooting at the Club Q nightclub that killed five people and wounded another 17 pled guilty in a Colorado courtroom today, according to a report from the Associated Press.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, 23, opened fire at the popular gay club late on November 19, 2022, killing Daniel Aston, Raymond Green Vance, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh, and Derrick Rump. The attack was halted by two patrons, one who rushed the gunman and another who assisted him. Aldrich, who claims to identify as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, is currently charged with over 300 counts of murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and bias-motivated crimes. They now face the potential of a life sentence in a state court and the possibility of additional charges in a federal court.

Aldrich has reportedly admitted their guilt, saying they had to “take responsibility for what happened” in a series of six phone calls with the AP reported earlier this month.

“Nothing’s ever going to bring back their loved ones. People are going to have to live with injury that can’t be repaired,” Aldrich told the AP.

When he was later asked to explain why the mass shooting happened, they replied, “I don’t know. That’s why I think it’s so hard to comprehend that it did happen.”

Aldrich also said they understood the gravity of the punishments they potentially face.

“I’m either going to get the death penalty federally or I will go to prison for life, that’s a given,” they observed.

This is a developing news story...