COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — An El Paso County judge on Thursday allowed all charges — including dozens of hate-crime counts — to move forward against the suspect in the mass shooting at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ club last year.
Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Michael McHenry rejected arguments from defense attorneys that there was not enough evidence to show the suspect was motivated by hate toward the LGBTQ community. The judge allowed prosecutors to proceed with each of the more than 300 charges against suspect Anderson Aldrich.
Aldrich, 22, is accused of killing five people and injuring 22 others in the Nov. 19 mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs. Aldrich is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and bias-motivated counts, among other charges. Aldrich identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, their public defenders have said.
