Anderson Lee Aldrich, the 22-year old gunman who shot five people and wounded several others at Club Q, a Colorado Springs gay nightclub, is facing charges of murder and hate crimes, authorities have said.
The suspect entered the Colorado Springs LGBTQIA+ nightclub called Club Q just before midnight on Saturday and opened fire on the patrons.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday for the first time since the attack, citing reports by CNN.
Aldrich is expected to attend the initial court hearing via video conference from the El Paso County Jail.
Police authorities confirmed that Aldrich used a long rifle in the shooting and two firearms were found at the scene, Colorado police said.
US President Joe Biden said he and his wife were praying for the families of the five people killed and for those injured in this senseless attack.
“While no motive in this attack is yet clear, we know that gun violence has a particular impact on LGBTQI+ communities across our nation,“ Biden said.
The suspect has since been moved from hospital to jail, authorities have said.
Meanwhile, the suspect’s defence team said in court filings on Tuesday that the suspect in fact identifies as non-binary.
Colorado Springs Police pay tribute to those who lost their lives
On Tuesday, the Colorado Springs Police Department took to its Facebook page to pay tribute to the lives lost in the mass shooting, one of several to rock America in 2022.
“Too often society loses track of the victims of these sad and tragic events. We strive to give victims the dignity and respect they deserve, as well as shine the light of public attention to the victims. Therefore, we are identifying them now.”
“We respect all of our community members, including our LGBTQ+ community. Therefore we will be identifying the victims by how they identified themselves and how their families have loved and identified them.”
Kelly Loving: She/Her
Daniel Aston: He/Him
Derrick Rump: He/Him
Ashley Paugh: She/Her
Raymond Green Vance: He/Him
The Colorado Springs Police Department also thanked the two patrons who intervened inside the club during the shooting.
“Their exact actions are part of the investigation, so we can’t discuss the specifics out of respect for the judicial process, but with their permission, we want to acknowledge their heroic actions. They are Thomas James And Richard Fierro.”
IOL