Judge refuses to drop hate crime charges against Colorado Springs shooting suspect

A Colorado Springs judge said Thursday there was sufficient evidence to move forward on 323 charges against the suspect accused of killing five people and injuring 17 more at a mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in November. 

Anderson Aldrich, 22, is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and other crimes in the Club Q mass shooting. 

Defense attorneys had argued during a preliminary hearing Wednesday and Thursday that there was no evidence to show Aldrich had committed a hate crime. But Fourth Judicial District Judge Michael McHenry declined to drop any of the charges. 

Prosecution says suspect targeted LGBTQ club

Prosecutors cited images previously shared by a discord account associated with Aldrich, including an image of a rifle sight centered on a participant of a pride parade, as well as hateful videos posted to a website administered by Aldrich, including a "neo nazi-mass shooter terrorist training video." The video allegedly included video footage of other mass shootings, including ones againsts mosques, synagogues and other religious sites.

Prosecutors also argued that Club Q was the only LGBTQ club of 53 bars and nightclubs in a two-and-a-half-mile radius around Aldrich's residence. They noted members of Aldrich's church community had seen Aldrich earlier in the day, and Aldrich was not violent or angry then, suggesting there was intent and a particular disdain toward the LGBTQ community.

Defense says suspect did not have problem with LGBTQ people

But public defenders representing Aldrich said video referenced by the prosecution was simply posted to a website administered by Aldrich, and was not originally created by Aldrich. They also noted Aldrich, who identifies as non-binary, had visited the club several times previously without any act of violence or record of using slurs or acting in a prejudicial manner toward the LGBTQ community. 

Defense also pointed toward a number of prescription drugs taken by Aldrich to treat conditions, including depression, anxiety, bipolar, schitzophrenia and PTSD, as well as evidence of drug use found in Aldrich’s car and testimony that Aldrich had consumed a variety of narcotics before the shooting. 

“What happened here was senseless, awful and it was tragic,” public defender Joseph Archambault said Thursday. “But it’s categorically different from a person who targeted a group, who is proud of what they did and hopes other people follow in their footsteps.”

What are the next steps in Colorado Springs shooting case?

Aldrich remains in the El Paso County Jail without bond. 

An arraignment has been scheduled for May 30 to give the defense time to conduct a psychiatric investigation of Aldrich’s mental state. 

A hearing has been set for March 31, largely to hear media motions on the release of body camera and security footage from the night of the shooting. Both the prosecution and defense argued against it, stressing the need to preserve the dignity and privacy of victims and to preserve Aldrich’s right to a fair trial, but the judge noted that attorneys representing various media outlets “may feel differently about the matter.”