Anderson Lee Aldrich called ‘monster’ by Club Q victim’s relative before Colorado Springs nightclub shooter sentenced to life

Before Anderson Lee Aldrich, the Colorado Springs nightclub shooter, who killed five people in 2022, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday, victims’ relatives and friends got to address him in court.

The defendant has been accused of hunting down LGBTQ+ patrons in a calculated attack on Club Q on the night of the mass shooting. On Monday he pleaded guilty to five counts of murder and 46 counts of attempted murder. He also pleaded no contest to two hate crimes, one a felony and the other a misdemeanor.

Surviving victims and family members of those killed last year spoke during an emotional sentencing hearing. “This thing sitting in this courtroom is not a human, it is a monster,” said Jessica Fierro, whose daughter’s boyfriend was killed that night. “The devil awaits with open arms.”

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 The father of Daniel Aston, Club Q’s bartender, who was one of the victims, spoke out about how his son was at the prime of his life when he was stripped of it. “He was huge light in this world that was snuffed out by a heinous, evil and cowardly act,” Jeff Aston said. “I will never again hear him laugh at my dad jokes.”

Aston’s mother, Sabrina, said they would not forgive the crimes. Wyatt Kent, Aston’s partner, however, said that he was prepared to forgive Aldrich’s crimes. “I forgive this individual, as they are a symbol of a broken system, of hate and vitriol pushed against us as a community,” said Wyatt Kent, Aston’s partner. “What brings joy to me is that this hurt individual will never be able to see the joy and the light that has been wrought into our community as an outcome.”

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Aldrich began shaking slightly as the victims and family members spoke. He also appeared to be alternatively looking down and glancing at a screen that showed photos of the victims.

As the judge read out the names of the victims as well as the charges, people in the courtroom wiped away tears.

“You are targeting a group of people for their simple existence,” said Judge Michael McHenry. “Like too many other people in our culture, you chose to find a power that day behind the trigger of a gun, your actions reflect the deepest malice of the human heart, and malice is almost always born of ignorance and fear.”