Colorado shooting suspect charged with 305 counts, including murder, bias-motivated crimes

The suspect accused of killing five people and injuring 25 during a mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado was charged Tuesday with 305 criminal counts, The Associated Press reported.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, was handed a slew of felony charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, assault, and bias-motivated crimes, CNN reported. Aldrich, who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, reportedly did not speak during the court proceedings and has not entered a plea.

According to prosecutors, Aldrich entered the Club Q nightclub in Colorado Springs on Nov. 19 with an assault rifle and a handgun and began shooting. Five people died and numerous others suffered gunshot wounds before the alleged shooter was taken down by club patrons.

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The mass shooting notably occurred just one day prior to the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors LGBTQ community members who have been affected by violence.

Following the attack, Aldrich was initially arrested on five counts of murder and charges of "ethnic intimidation," another name for a bias-motivated crime, per ABC News. They have been held without bond since a hearing on Nov. 23.

Over the objections of their attorney, Judge Michael McHenry also ordered Aldrich's arrest warrant affidavit to be unsealed on Wednesday, AP reported.

This is not the first time that Aldrich has been in trouble with the law. In 2021, they were arrested for allegedly making a bomb threat, which caused about 10 surrounding houses to be evacuated. They had reportedly also threatened their own family on multiple occasions.