Editor's note: The number of people injured in this mass shooting changed and this story now reflects updated information as provided by the Colorado Springs Police Department at 12:47 p.m. Monday.
Editor's note: The Club Q shooting suspect identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, according to court documents filed by their defense attorneys. This article has been updated to reflect the proper pronouns.
DENVER – The suspect in the deadly shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs Saturday night was arrested on 10 counts, including first-degree murder and bias-motivated crime, according to court records.
Though they have yet to be formally charged, Colorado court records show Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, was arrested for investigation of five counts of first-degree murder after deliberation and five counts of bias-motivated crime—causing bodily injury.
The first five charges are class 1 felonies, while the potential bias-motivated crime charges are class 5 felonies. Court records also show Aldrich is being held without bond in the case.
Aldrich was hospitalized on Sunday after the shooting and their first court date had not been set as of 9 a.m. Monday, according to court records. Records show a judge in the case also ordered the arrest warrant affidavit and application for the arrest warrant to be sealed "until completion of investigation in this case."
Aldrich is accused of carrying out the shooting just before midnight Saturday at the LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and injuring 19 others. The Colorado Springs police chief said Sunday Aldrich used a long rifle in the shooting and another weapon was also found at the nightclub.
Police have still not confirmed a motive in the case despite the arrest-only charges. But Club Q called the shooting a “hate attack” and officials said they would treat the investigation as one potentially involving a hate crime.
“We don’t know the motives precisely at this point in time. We’re looking at social media, we’re looking at all those sorts of things," Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said Monday morning. "But it certainly has the trappings of a hate crime, there’s no question about it.”
There are also questions about Aldrich’s past that the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office has yet to comment on. Last year, they were arrested after making bomb and weapons threats toward their mother in the Lorson Ranch neighborhood. Charges were not filed in that case. The State Court Administrator’s Office said just before noon Sunday that it did not have any “public records” tied to Aldrich in Colorado.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado Cole Finegan said his office would work with the DA’s Office and local law enforcement to be sure the suspect is brought to justice.
“On behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice, we offer our deepest condolences to the victims and their families and our sorrow for the tragedy that has unfolded here,” Finegan said. “We will work closely with District Attorney Michael Allen, with local law enforcement, Mayor Suthers, and the Colorado Springs community to ensure the person who did this is brought to justice.”
The shooting happened at a haven for the LGBTQ+ community in Colorado Springs, those who frequent Club Q said. The community says they are angry and sad that they feel they were again targeted in a shooting 6 ½ years after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Fla.
The FBI is asking anyone with information about the shooting to call 1-800-CALL-FBI and to upload video by clicking here.
Police had originally said they planned to have a news conference before noon Monday but said later Monday morning they would be sending out a news release instead, and potentially having a news conference later in the afternoon. Denver7 plans to stream any updates live and will have the latest on the Club Q shooting on Denver7.com and Denver7+.
