Colorado Springs nightclub shooting explained

Club Q nightclub shooting
Location:Club Q, Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
Target:Patrons of Club Q
Date:November 19–20, 2022
Time-Begin: [1]
Timezone:MST
Type:Mass shooting, mass murder, hate crime (violence against LGBT people), domestic terrorism[2] [3] [4] [5]
Weapons:
Fatalities:5
Injuries:26 (including the perpetrator; 19 by gunfire)
Perp:Anderson Lee Aldrich[7]
Verdict:Pleaded guilty
Convictions:Federal
  • 74 counts of hate crime and weapons charges

Colorado


Child:yes
Sentence:Federal
Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, plus 190 years
Colorado
Five consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 2,211 years
Dfens:
  • Richard M. Fierro
  • Thomas James
  • Drea Norman
Motive:Anti-LGBT extremism

On November 19–20, 2022, an anti-LGBT-motivated mass shooting occurred at Club Q, a gay bar in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. Five people were murdered, and 25 others were injured, 19 of them by gunfire. The shooter, 22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich, was also injured while being restrained, and was taken to a local hospital.[8] [9] [10] [11] Aldrich was then charged and remanded in custody. On June 26, 2023, Aldrich pled guilty to the shooting and state level charges and was officially sentenced to a total of five consecutive life terms plus an additional consecutive 2,211 years, all without the possibility of parole. On January 16, 2024, Aldrich was additionally charged with 50 federal hate crimes in connection with the shooting.[12] [13] On June 18, 2024, Aldrich pleaded guilty to the federal charges and was sentenced to 55 concurrent life sentences without parole, plus a consecutive 190 years.[14]

Background

Club Q is located at the 3430 block of North Academy Boulevard and opened in 2002. It was for a time the only LGBT club in Colorado Springs, Colorado's second-most populous city with a population of just under 500,000.[15] A 2021 article by Denver-based magazine 5280 noted the club to be a place "where LGBTQ folks [went] for drag performances, dance parties, and drinks."[16] The shooting occurred on the eve of the Transgender Day of Remembrance.[17]

Since 2019, Colorado has had a red flag law that allows citizens or law enforcement to petition a court to order the removal of firearms from a potentially dangerous person. Of the 19 states and the District of Columbia with red flag laws, Colorado has among the lowest per capita rates of invocation of the law. In opposition to the Colorado statute, more than half of the state's 64 counties declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries, including El Paso County where the shooting occurred.[18] [19] [20] [21] According to the Los Angeles Blade, "It is El Paso County Sheriff's Office's explicit policy not to petition for an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) or Temporary Risk Protection Order (TRPO) to remove firearms from at-risk people".[22] [23]

Shooting

According to the police chief, the shooting began when Anderson Lee Aldrich entered Club Q while a dance party was being held. Wielding an AR-15 style rifle loaded with a 60-round drum magazine, carrying multiple magazines of ammunition, and wearing body armor,[6] [24] [25] [26] Aldrich immediately began firing at employees and patrons while moving further into the building. As they entered the building, they turned and shot two people in the ticket booth. The surviving victim, who was the door girl, was protected by Daniel Aston, who used his body to cover his coworker. Anderson rushed to the bar area and opened fire on several victims there, including Kelly Loving, Raymond Green Vance, and Ashley Paugh. Anderson walked down the ramp to the dance floor and shot more victims before going up the stairs towards the patio. Anderson opened fire through the patio door and fatally shot Derrick Rump. At this point, Anderson's rifle was empty and they began to reload the weapon.[27] Many survivors at first mistook the gunfire for being a part of the music, until the shots continued and the occupants saw the muzzle flashes.[28] Multiple people sheltered behind the bar and in dressing rooms, while others stayed low to the ground.[29]

38 seconds after the shooting started, a U.S. Navy petty officer who was trapped in the patio, Thomas James, rushed towards the shooter and grabbed the barrel of their rifle. He struggled with the shooter for the rifle before Anderson pulled out their handgun and shot James twice in the torso. A club patron, identified as U.S. Army veteran Richard M. Fierro, charged across the room and joined to help James. Anderson pointed the handgun at Fierro but was unable to fire the gun due to the magazine falling out during the struggle. Fierro then grabbed the handgun from the shooter's hand and used it to hit the shooter repeatedly in the head. Fierro and James continued to fight the shooter. During this time, James successfully grabbed the rifle and slid it across the floor.[30] A trans-woman publicly identified as Drea Norman came out of hiding and joined Fierro and James in subduing Aldrich. She stomped on the shooter's head repeatedly in order to keep them down.[11] [31] [32] Fierro estimated the shooter's weight at 300lb.[33]

Police received an initial call for service regarding the shooting at 11:56 p.m. on November 19, with the first officer being dispatched a minute later. A total of 39 patrol officers from all four divisions of the Colorado Springs Police Department, along with 34 firefighters and 11 ambulances, responded to the scene.[1] [11] The suspect was in custody within about five minutes after the first 9-1-1 call. After the shooting stopped, many were at first reluctant to leave their hiding spots as they were unsure if the shooter was reloading or had been stopped. Fierro, who had been covered in blood, was placed in police custody in a squad car for over an hour before he was cleared of suspicion and released.

The injured were transported to three hospitals: seven to Penrose Hospital, 10 to Memorial Hospital Central, and two to Memorial Hospital North. Some ambulances, with most of them AMR, had to transport up to three patients at a time, and a few police cruisers had to transport victims as well.

Victims

Five people were killed, and 25 others were injured in the shooting, of whom 19 were by gunfire. One of the deceased victims, Daniel Aston, was a bar supervisor and a frequent performer at the nightclub.[34] [35] Another fatality, Raymond Vance, was the boyfriend of Fierro's daughter.[30]

During the press conference, the chief of the Colorado Springs Police Department made a point to say the department respected all community members and that they would be identifying the deceased by the names they and their loved ones used. He then read the names of the deceased victims and included their pronouns.[36]

Aftermath

A vigil was held on November 20 with standing room only at the All Souls Unitarian Church, which was also attended by several members of the City Council.

Additional memorials and events were held throughout the week, which promoted spaces for people to gather and donate.[37]

Donation drives were set up shortly after the shooting from both local organizations and GoFundMe fundraisers for the victims and their families.[38]

On November 24, Colorado Springs evangelical ministry Focus on the Family was targeted with a graffiti message, reading: "Their blood is on your hands. Five lives taken."[39] [40] [41]

Perpetrator

Anderson Lee Aldrich
Birth Name:Nicholas Franklin Brink
Birth Date:May 20, 2000
Birth Place:San Diego, California, U.S.
Parents:Aaron Brink (father)
Laura Voepel (mother)
Relatives:Randy Voepel (grandfather)
Criminal Status:Incarcerated at Wyoming State Penitentiary

The shooter was identified as Anderson Lee Aldrich, a then 22-year-old resident of Colorado Springs.[42] Aldrich was born as Nicholas Franklin Brink on May 20, 2000, in San Diego, California, to Aaron Brink, a former pornographic film actor and mixed martial arts fighter, and Laura Voepel, the daughter of Randy Voepel, a Republican former member of the California State Assembly. Voepel previously served for four years on the City Council of Santee, California, followed by 16 years as mayor.[43] [44] [45] [46] Voepel and Brink separated and divorced one year after Aldrich's birth, while Voepel went on to receive custody over Aldrich. Her tumultuous life – which included multiple arrests and mental health evaluations – resulted in Aldrich being cared for by Voepel's mother and stepfather, who eventually became Aldrich's legal guardians.[47] [48] [49]

Aldrich grew up in northern San Antonio, Texas, and is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, though according to the church, they had not been involved in church services for at least a decade.[50] [51] [52] Records indicate that Aldrich was a target of online bullying that involved homophobic taunts while in middle school.[53] Aldrich changed names on April 28, 2016, shortly before turning 16, citing a desire to remove associations with Aaron Brink, who by that point had multiple criminal convictions.

Aldrich's attorneys have said in court documents that their client identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, preferring to be addressed as Mx. Aldrich.[54] [55] Neighbors allege Aldrich to have made hateful comments towards the LGBT community in the past, including frequent usage of homophobic slurs.[56] [57] Aldrich never mentioned being non-binary prior to the shooting and was referred to with masculine pronouns by family members.[58] [59] Police testified they found rainbow-colored shooting targets in Aldrich's home.[60] Experts in online extremism have voiced the possibility that Aldrich's proclaimed self-identification could be disingenuous,[61] while the Center for Countering Digital Hate acknowledges the suspect's past actions and impact on the LGBT community.[62]

Prior incidents

On June 18, 2021, Aldrich's maternal grandparents revealed their plans to relocate to Florida. Angered at the development, Aldrich complained about losing access to the material stored in the basement which was intended for "conduct[ing] a mass shooting and bombing". Aldrich held the grandparents hostage, and threatened to murder them. Eventually, Aldrich let them go, shifted to Voepel's house, and holed up there. During an hour-long standoff with Colorado SWAT, an armed Aldrich live-streamed from inside and threatened to blow up the house. Neighboring homes had to be evacuated.[63] [64] Upon surrendering, a tub filled with explosive-grade material — including ammonium nitrate and tannerite — was recovered alongside handguns, ballistic vests, and gas masks; Aldrich was jailed and charged with multiple counts of kidnapping and felony menacing.[65] Aldrich entered a not guilty plea and was released on bail a fortnight later.[66] The case made negligible progress, with Voepel and the grandparents refusing to accept any subpoena (under technical grounds) to avoid testifying against Aldrich. In July 2022, the case was dismissed, and records were sealed a month later.

Twice before the 2021 incident Aldrich had been reported to Colorado Police for "escalating homicidal behavior." On June 17, 2021, Aldrich's grand-aunt contacted the FBI to report Aldrich was planning to kill Christians and government employees after Aldrich's grandfather had reported being threatened by Aldrich; however, the family did not press charges with local police.[67] There is no record that law enforcement authorities or Aldrich's relatives attempted to trigger the Colorado red flag law, which might have allowed for the seizure of any weapons and ammunition that Aldrich possessed.

Aldrich and Laura Voepel had conflicts with passengers and crew during a July 2022 flight from California to Colorado. They were accused of harassing others while aboard the plane and insulting some with racial slurs. After deplaning, Aldrich was filmed saying to another passenger: "I wish I can (sic) shoot all of you" and "You keep following me and I'm going to fuck you up."[68]

Social media activity

Aldrich had allegedly created a "free speech" website that hosted violent and racist content — including a video that advocated killing civilians to "cleanse society" — as of the night of the shooting. A second site, that was identified as a "brother website" on its homepage, had hosted footage of the 2022 Buffalo shooting and, on the night of the Club Q shooting, came to display four other videos, including one which apparently showed Aldrich's face reflected in a vehicle's rear view mirror.[69] [70] Testimony from a February 2023 hearing implied that Aldrich had operated a neo-Nazi website prior to the shooting.[71]

Legal proceedings

After the shooting, Aldrich was charged with ten felony counts: five counts of murder, and five counts of committing a bias-motivated crime causing bodily injury. An El Paso County judge authorized the sealing of Aldrich's prior arrest records, saying the public release of the documents could "jeopardize the ongoing investigation."[72] Aldrich was represented by a public defender.[73]

On December 6, Aldrich was charged with 305 criminal counts, which included first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault of the first and second degree, and hate crimes. District Attorney Michael Allen said it was "probably the most charges that we’ve ever filed in a single case, on a murder case like this in the state of Colorado".[74] On December 8, a judge ordered the unsealing of court documents pertaining to Aldrich's June 2021 arrest.[75]

On January 13, 2023, Aldrich was charged with new felony offenses for attempted murder and hate crimes. The additional twelve charges raised the total number of criminal counts to 317.[76] [77]

On June 26, Aldrich pleaded guilty to the shooting and was formally sentenced to a total of five consecutive life terms plus an additional 2,211 years in prison, all without any possibility of parole.[78]

On June 18, 2024, Aldrich pleaded guilty to the federal charges and was sentenced to 55 life terms in prison.[14]

Responses and Reactions

The shooting was condemned by politicians in the immediate aftermath. The United States President Joe Biden said, "While no motive in this attack is yet clear, we know that the LGBTI+ community has been subjected to horrific hate violence in recent years."[79]

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that anti-LGBT political discourse is partially to blame for the shooting.[80]

The El Paso County government said "We are deeply saddened by the senseless shooting that occurred early this morning in Colorado Springs at Club Q" and they sent their condolences and support to the victims and families.[81]

Colorado's red flag law and its application were scrutinized by advocates of gun violence prevention, politicians, and many other people.[18] [20] [21] [82] [83]

Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who is also Colorado and the nation's first openly gay governor, said "We are eternally grateful for the brave individuals who blocked the [shooter] likely saving lives in the process" and called for an examination of the application of Colorado's red flag law by Colorado's sheriffs.[84] [85]

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said law enforcement should've taken advantage of the law under appropriate circumstances, while cautioning against jumping to conclusions about the application of the law to the shooting.[18] [20]

Colorado state representative Tom Sullivan, whose son (Alex Sullivan), was killed in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting and sponsor of the state's red flag law said the prior incident should have alerted the community.[18] [64] [83]

Jeffrey Swanson, a professor at Duke University School of Medicine who studies red flag laws, said Colorado's law could have been invoked.[18] [82]

LGBTQ+ groups have widely memorialized the victims, and linked the mass shooting to recent rhetoric.[86] [87]

Club Q said on social media that it was "devastated by the senseless attack on our community" and that it offered condolences to the victims and their families.[17]

The co-owners of Club Q attributed the shooting to a different kind of anti-LGBT hatred,[88] inflamed by some Republican politicians and right-wing influencers[89] and rooted in the demonization of drag queens as "groomers".[90] [91]

Democrats have also been criticized by some for historically not doing enough to counteract anti-trans narratives, and generally being reluctant to proactively defend the transgender community.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement condemning the shooting. The statement read, in part, "The senseless act of violence in Colorado Springs is of great sadness and concern to us. We are greatly troubled by any violence in our communities and condemn most especially violent acts that are the result of intolerance..."[92]

In their responses to the shooting, several far-right media pundits have promoted an Anti-LGBT grooming conspiracy theory,[93] [94] [95] [96] as well as perpetuating moral panic.[97] [98] [99] [100]

Conservative media personality and political commentator Tucker Carlson displayed a banner on his Fox News program Tucker Carlson Tonight that read "Stop Sexualizing Kids" while later hosting a guest who said that mass shootings would keep happening "until we end this evil agenda that is attacking children".

YouTube political commentator and podcast host Tim Pool responded by criticizing the venue's drag show performances, saying, "We shouldn't tolerate pedophiles grooming kids. Club Q had a grooming event";[101] while other right-wing and conservative political commentators such as Matt Walsh, Candace Owens, Chaya Raichik, and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene all continued to publish content targeting LGBT people, some of which focused specifically on the Colorado area.[102] [103] [104]

After issuing a statement in which she offered her prayers to those affected by the shooting and called for the lawless violence to end, Representative Lauren Boebert (R-CO) was accused of hypocrisy based on her history of anti-LGBT rhetoric.[105] Her past comments have included false grooming narratives and the litter boxes in schools hoax.[106] [107] She has been criticized for blocking gun control laws.[108] [109]

Jenna Ellis, a former lawyer for Donald Trump, was criticized for saying that the five people killed during the shooting were "now reaping the consequences of ... eternal damnation" because she claimed that there was "no evidence" the victims were Christian.[110] [111] [112]

Far-right provocateurs, including Jack Posobiec, questioned Richard Fierro's presence at the drag show, while others on the far-right called Fierro a "groomer" and a "faggot" simply because he and his family were at Club Q.[113] [114] Analysis published by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue has estimated that online usage of the terms 'pedophile' and 'groomer' increased sharply in the days following the shooting, as part of far-right and neo-Nazi celebration of, and apologia for, the mass shooting.

The Department of Homeland Security also reported in a bulletin published on November 30 that online extremists praised the actions of the shooter.[115] A significant rise in homophobic and transphobic posts following the shooting have been tracked by LGBTQIA+ advocates both in far-right forums such as Gab and even in more mainstream social media platforms such as Twitter (now known as X), Facebook, and YouTube.[116]

On December 14, 2022, several survivors of the mass shooting presented their testimony to the United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The witnesses placed blame for the attack on hateful rhetoric, calling it the direct cause of the shooting, and also warned of the dangers of hate speech, saying that it is damaging even in the absence of explicit calls for violence.

At the hearing, Club Q owner Matthew Haynes pushed back at Republican politicians, saying "I know that we, our Club Q community, are in the thoughts and prayers of so many of you. Unfortunately these thoughts and prayers alone are not saving lives. They're not changing the rhetoric of hate." Haynes also read aloud examples from some of the hundreds of the hateful messages received following the shooting, including one that said "the shooter was doing God's work".

Survivor James Slaugh said that LGBTQ+ issues should not be politicized, and urged respect for basic human rights: "Outside of these spaces, we are continually being dehumanized, marginalized and targeted. The fear-based and hateful rhetoric surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, especially around trans individuals and drag performers, leads to violence."[117] [118]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Timeline: Club Q shooting emergency response . November 20, 2022 . . November 20, 2022 . Ferguson . Sarah .
  2. News: Heeke . Jack . Club Q Shooting Referenced in National Terrorism Advisory Bulletin . 4 July 2023 . KKTV . 1 December 2022.
  3. Web site: GMHC Statement in Response to the Club Q Attack in Colorado Springs . November 22, 2022 . GMHC . 4 July 2023.
  4. News: McGrath . Oria . Professor aims to comfort, protect students in wake of Club Q killings . 4 July 2023 . University of Colorado Boulder . 14 February 2023.
  5. News: Sennett . Ellie . Five killed in shooting at Colorado Springs nightclub amid US domestic terrorism warning . 4 July 2023 . The National News . 20 November 2022.
  6. News: Ashley . Ahn . Juliana . Kim . November 21, 2022 . What We Know So Far About the Colorado Springs Shooting . NPR . November 22, 2022.
  7. News: Jesse . Bedayn . Thomas . Peipert . November 21, 2022 . Gay bar shooting suspect facing murder, hate crime charges. Associated Press . November 21, 2022.
  8. News: Levenson . Eric . Watson . Michelle . Rose . Andy . November 20, 2022 . Gunman kills 5 at LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs before patrons confront and stop him, police say . November 20, 2022 . CNN . Colorado has been the site of some of the most heinous mass shootings in US history, including the 1999 shooting in Columbine High School and the 2012 movie theater shooting in Aurora. Colorado Springs was the site of mass shootings at a Planned Parenthood in November 2015 that left three dead and at a birthday party last year that left six dead..
  9. Web site: Roscoe . Matthew . November 20, 2022 . BREAKING UPDATE: Five dead after mass shooting at Colorado Springs gay nightclub . November 20, 2022 . EuroWeekly News.
  10. News: Watson . Michelle . November 20, 2022 . Number of people wounded in Colorado Springs mass shooting increases to 25 . November 20, 2022 . CNN .
  11. News: Tucker . Emma . Levenson . Eric . Watson . Michelle . Rose . Andy . Vera . Amir . November 20, 2022 . What we know about the Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub shooting . November 20, 2022 . CNN .
  12. Web site: Barr . Luke . January 17, 2024 . Club Q shooter charged with 50 federal hate crimes . 2024-01-17 . ABC News . en.
  13. Web site: Slevin . Colleen . Bedayn . Jesse . June 26, 2023 . Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ club mass killer gets life in prison, victim says 'devil awaits' defendant . June 26, 2023 . AP NEWS .
  14. Web site: Slevin. Colleen. The shooter who killed 5 at a Colorado LGBTQ+ club pleads guilty to 50 federal hate crimes. June 18, 2024. AP NEWS.
  15. News: Until recently, Club Q was the only LGBTQ club in Colorado Springs. CNN. Levenson. Eric. November 20, 2022. November 20, 2022.
  16. News: A New LGBTQ Bar Is Changing the Narrative in Colorado Springs. 5280. Smith. Alissa. June 7, 2021. November 20, 2022.
  17. News: Gunman kills 5 at LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs before patrons confront and stop him, police say . November 20, 2022 . CNN . November 20, 2022. Levenson . Eric . Watson . Michelle . Rose . Andy.
  18. Web site: Condon . Bernard . Slevin . Colleen . November 21, 2022 . Gay club shooting suspect evaded Colorado's red flag gun law . November 21, 2022 . AP NEWS.
  19. News: Red flag laws get little use as shootings, gun deaths soar . Bernard . Condon . September 2, 2022 . . .
  20. News: Red-flag laws in spotlight after Colorado shooting: What to know . Silvia . Foster-Frau . Andrew . Jeong . November 22, 2022 . .
  21. News: November 21, 2022 . 'Red flag' gun laws in focus after attack at Colorado LGBTQ nightclub . Joseph . Ax . .
  22. Web site: Bland . Brandie . Black queer lawmaker speaks out: 'Hell yes, I support trans youth!' . Los Angeles Blade . 1 January 2023 . November 22, 2022.
  23. Red Flag Bill: El Paso County Sheriff's Office Red Flag Statement . El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
  24. News: Dress . Brad . November 20, 2022 . What we know about the Colorado Springs nightclub shooting suspect . The Hill . November 20, 2022.
  25. News: What We Know About the Colorado Springs Shooting . . November 22, 2022 .
  26. News: Police: Gunman kills 5 at gay club, is subdued by patrons . Thomas . Peipert . Jesse . Bedayn . November 20, 2022 . .
  27. Web site: The hero . 2024-07-09 . Washington Post . en.
  28. Web site: Miller . Susan . Stanton . Cady . Ortiz . Jorge L . Jervis . Rick . Collins . Terry . November 21, 2022 . 'Heroic' patrons subdued attacker during deadly Colorado LGBTQ nightclub shooting: Updates . November 21, 2022 . USA TODAY.
  29. Web site: Helling . Steve . November 21, 2022 . Colorado Springs Survivor Recounts Terror of LGBTQ Club Shooting: 'All I Could Think of Was Pulse' . November 21, 2022 . Peoplemag.
  30. Web site: Wolfe . Elizabeth . Yan . Holly . Watts . Amanda . November 21, 2022 . Police have identified the 5 people killed in Colorado Springs LGBTQ club shooting . November 21, 2022 . CNN.
  31. News: Philipps . Dave . November 21, 2022 . An Army Veteran Says He Went Into 'Combat Mode' to Disarm the Gunman . The New York Times . November 21, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  32. Web site: November 23, 2022 . Club Q mass shooting: Trans woman stopped killer with 'high heels' . November 23, 2022 . news.com.au.
  33. News: Army vet explains how he stopped Colorado Springs shooter with help of trans woman . Billson . Chantelle . November 22, 2022.
  34. Web site: McLauglin . Eliott . Bar supervisor killed at Club Q was the best boss anyone could ask for, coworker says . CNN . 21 November 2022 . December 6, 2022.
  35. Web site: Sherry . Allison . Club Q victim Daniel Aston was everyone's best friend and the life of the party . Colorado Public Radio News . 5 December 2022 . November 20, 2022.
  36. News: Pietsch . Bryan . November 22, 2022 . Colorado police prioritize proper pronouns, names of shooting victims . November 22, 2022 . The Washington Post.
  37. Web site: Mathurin . Desiree . November 21, 2022 . These are the Denver-area vigils planned for Club Q shooting victims . November 22, 2022 . Denverite.
  38. Web site: Hernandez . Elizabeth . November 20, 2022 . Here's where you can donate to Club Q victims, their families and survivors . November 21, 2022 . The Denver Post.
  39. Web site: Boyanton . Megan Ulu-Lani . November 25, 2022 . Focus on the Family's Colorado Springs headquarters sign vandalized days after Club Q mass shooting . 26 November 2022 . The Denver Post.
  40. Web site: Goldsberry . Jenny . November 25, 2022 . SEE IT: Christian group vandalized following Club Q shooting . 26 November 2022 . Washington Examiner.
  41. Web site: Woodward . Alex . November 25, 2022 . Influential evangelical group that opposes LGBT+ rights vandalised after Colorado Springs mass shooting . 27 November 2022 . The Independent.
  42. News: November 20, 2022 . 5 Dead Following CO Springs Shooting at LGBTQ Nightclub . Colorado Times Recorder . November 20, 2022 . Beedle . Heidi.
  43. News: Miller . Blair . Kovaleski . Jennifer . November 22, 2022 . Club Q shooting suspect changed name in 2016, saying they wanted to protect themself from father . . November 24, 2022.
  44. Web site: Club Q shooting suspect changed his name just before his 16th birthday . November 23, 2022 . Mirna . Alsharif . Andrew . Blankstein . . November 22, 2022 . NBC News.
  45. News: Warrick . Joby . Klemko . Robert . Nakhlawi . Razzan . Crites . Alice . Brown . Cate . November 21, 2022 . LGBTQ club shooting suspect's troubled past was obscured by a name change, records show . . November 23, 2022.
  46. News: November 20, 2022 . Two barmen among the dead in mass shooting at gay nightclub in Colorado . The Guardian . November 22, 2022 . Ramon Antonio . Vargas . Kari . Dequine.
  47. News: de Puy Kamp . Majlie de Puy Kamp . Devine . Curt . Glover . Scott . November 22, 2022 . Details are coming to light about the alleged gunman who killed five people at an LGBTQ nightclub . CNN . November 23, 2022.
  48. Web site: Gotfredson . David . November 22, 2022 . 'I'm sorry I let my son down' Father of accused Colorado club shooter speaks out . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221123072213/https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/im-sorry-i-let-my-son-down-father-of-accused-colorado-club-shooter-speaks-out/509-6c4ad66e-35ef-41a5-9255-bca31cea3a73 . November 23, 2022 . November 23, 2022 . . San Diego.
  49. News: Slevin . Colleen . Peipert . Thomas . Bedayn . Jesse . Peterson . Brittany . November 23, 2022 . Colorado gay club shooting suspect to be at court hearing . The Washington Post .
  50. Web site: Walch . Tad . Latter-day Saint leaders condemn Colorado Springs LGBTQ club shooting . Deseret News . 4 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221204024525/https://www.deseret.com/faith/2022/11/21/23472211/colorado-springs-nightclub-shooting-brings-condemnation-from-latter-day-saints . December 4, 2022 . November 21, 2022 . live.
  51. Web site: Hurley . Bevan . November 22, 2022 . Colorado Springs shooting suspect Anderson Aldrich is a registered Mormon . November 23, 2022 . The Independent.
  52. News: Pettaway . Taylor . November 22, 2022 . San Antonio Express-News reports that the Club Q suspect previously lived in San Antonio, Texas . November 23, 2022 . San Antonio Express-News.
  53. News: Glover . Scott . de Puy Kamp . Majlie . Devine . Curt . November 23, 2022 . Details are coming to light about the alleged gunman who killed five people at an LGBTQ nightclub . November 23, 2022 . CNN.
  54. Web site: Falconer. Rebecca. November 22, 2022. November 22, 2022. Colorado club shooting suspect is non-binary, attorneys say. Axios.
  55. Web site: Morfitt. Karen. Erblat. Austen. November 22, 2022. November 22, 2022. Colorado Springs LGBTQ club shooting suspect identifying as non-binary in court documents. CBS News.
  56. News: Hopkins . Rebecca . November 21, 2022 . Gun-Crazed Colorado Club Shooting Suspect Used Anti-Gay Slurs, Neighbor Says . . live . November 24, 2022 . https://archive.today/20221123024907/https://www.thedailybeast.com/anderson-lee-aldrich-colorado-springs-club-q-shooting-suspect-used-anti-gay-slurs-neighbor-says . November 23, 2022.
  57. News: Reinke . Kelly . November 22, 2022 . Former neighbor says Club Q shooting suspect made hateful comments toward LGBTQ community . . . November 23, 2022.
  58. Web site: Elamroussi . Aya . Sanchez . Ray . Watt . Nick . Kirkos . Bill . Suspect in the Colorado Springs LGBTQ club shooting will be held without bond as prosecutors work to finalize formal charges . CNN. November 23, 2022 .
  59. Web site: McKinley . Carol . Anderson Lee Aldrich: A history of family travail, personal violence . 2022-12-05 . Denver Gazette . December 4, 2022 . en.
  60. News: Police found rainbow-colored shooting target, map of Club Q in suspect's apartment. 22 February 2023. The Colorado Sun. Prentzel. Olivia.
  61. Web site: Riley . John . December 14, 2022 . Is the Club Q Shooter 'Trolling' by claiming to be Nonbinary? . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230103113620/https://www.metroweekly.com/2022/12/is-the-club-q-shooter-trolling-by-claiming-to-be-nonbinary/ . January 3, 2023 . June 3, 2023 . Metro Weekly.
  62. Web site: Yurcaba . Jo . December 10, 2022 . Why extremism experts say it's worth discussing the Colorado shooting suspect's pronouns . 2023-01-01 . NBC News . en . "The best course of action is to take the suspect's assertion 'in stride' and use they/them pronouns for Aldrich, while at the same time keeping in mind the suspect's alleged crimes, past and the impact that this kind of troll could have on the LGBTQ community, according to Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate.".
  63. Web site: Mustian . Jim . Slevin . Colleen . Condon . Bernard . 2022-12-06 . 'Next mass killer': Dropped case foretold Colorado bloodbath . 2022-12-07 . AP NEWS . en.
  64. News: Hurley . Bevan . November 23, 2022 . Livestream shows Colorado Springs shooting suspect Anderson Lee Aldrich threatening to blow up home in 2021 . .
  65. News: Olson . Emily . 2022-12-09 . The Colorado shooting suspect's 2021 case dropped for lack of cooperation, DA says . 2022-12-09 . NPR . en .
  66. Web site: Bradbury . Shelly . Schmelzer . Elise . 2022-12-08 . Guns seized in Club Q shooting suspect's 2021 arrest were never returned, case dismissed after family didn't cooperate . 2022-12-09 . The Denver Post . en-US.
  67. Web site: Schmelzer . Elise . 2022-12-20 . Family called FBI and 911 about Club Q shooting suspect's threats night before 2021 standoff, records show . 2022-12-23 . The Denver Post . en-US.
  68. Web site: Low . Rob . 2022-11-24 . Exclusive video: Plane passengers say Club Q suspect made racist remarks . 2022-11-26 . FOX31 Denver . en-US.
  69. Web site: Yurcaba . Jo . Collins . Ben . 6 December 2022 . F.B.I. asking about videos and racist website in connection with Colorado shooting . NBC News.
  70. Web site: Beckler . Hannah . Preached at, spat on, threatened, Colorado Springs' transgender community grapples with the Club Q attack . 2023-01-01 . Insider . en-US.
  71. Web site: Slevin . Colleen . February 23, 2023 . Colorado gay club shooting no mystery, but motive unknown . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230222053621/https://apnews.com/article/colorado-springs-crime-hate-crimes-d2379dce03c66ea3bc0faa2c5ffb7c21 . February 22, 2023 . June 3, 2023 . AP News.
  72. Web site: Beedie . Dan . November 21, 2022 . Suspect in Colorado Springs gay nightclub mass shooting faces 10 felony charges, judge seals arrest records . November 21, 2022 . KRDO.
  73. News: Healy . Jack . Hubler . Shawn . Jolly . Vik . Sandoval . Edgar . November 23, 2022 . New Details Emerge About Colorado Shooting Suspect . November 24, 2022 . The New York Times.
  74. Web site: Li. David. 2022-12-06. Suspect in Colorado LGBTQ nightclub massacre is charged with 305 counts, including murder and hate crimes. NBC News. 2022-12-08. en.
  75. Web site: 2022-12-08 . Judge unseals records of alleged Colorado shooter's earlier bomb threat . 2022-12-09 . . en-US.
  76. Web site: Elassar . Alaa . Club Q shooting suspect Anderson Aldrich appears in court, charged with 12 new counts . CNN . 15 January 2023 . January 13, 2023.
  77. Web site: Beckman . Abigail . Club Q Update: Judge denies defense attorneys their request for a delay in preliminary hearing . Colorado Public Radio . 15 January 2023 . January 13, 2023.
  78. Web site: Club Q survivors react to shooter's guilty plea and life sentence . Young . Olivia . CBS News . June 26, 2023 . June 26, 2023 .
  79. News: November 20, 2022 . 'We are devastated': Officials react to deadly mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs . KOAA News 5 . November 21, 2022.
  80. News: Pete Buttigieg Blames Colorado Club Massacre on Political Attacks on the LGBTQ Community: 'Don't You Dare Act Surprised' . Benjamin . Lindsay . . November 22, 2022 . Yahoo! News.
  81. November 20, 2022 . El Paso County Statement on Shooting in Colorado Springs . November 20, 2022 . El Paso County, Colorado .
  82. News: Prior 2021 arrest of Colorado Springs gunman puts spotlight on the politics of red flag laws . Emma . Tucker . . November 28, 2022 .
  83. News: Could the Colorado Shooting Have Been Prevented? . . Jack . Healy . Simon . Romero . Mitch . Smith . Nicholas . Bogel-Burroughs . Adam . Goldman . November 23, 2022 .
  84. News: Gov. Jared Polis says Colorado will focus on red flag law after LGBTQ club shooting . Joanne . Rosa . November 22, 2022 . .
  85. News: Jared Polis calls on Colorado to 'evangelize' red flag gun laws in the wake of the Club Q shooting . Anthony . Cotton . November 21, 2022 . .
  86. News: Kelleher . Patrick . 22 November 2022 . 'Straight line' between anti-LGBTQ+ politics and Colorado Springs shooting, activists say . Pink News.
  87. Web site: The Club Q Shooting and The Ripple Effect of Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate . Anti-Defamation League . 1 December 2022 . November 21, 2022.
  88. News: Colorado Springs shooting shows LGBTQ+ people facing 'different kind of hate'. 25 November 2022. The Guardian.
  89. Web site: Block . Melissa . Accusations of 'grooming' are the latest political attack — with homophobic origins . NPR . 5 December 2022 . May 11, 2022.
  90. Grant . Melissa Gira . The Massacre at Club Q Should Not Have Felt Inevitable . New Republic . 5 December 2022 . November 21, 2022.
  91. Web site: Goldberg . Michelle . Club Q and the Demonization of Drag Queens . The New York Times . 5 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221204085505/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/21/opinion/colorado-springs-shooting.html . December 4, 2022 . November 21, 2022 . live.
  92. News: Walch . Tad . November 21, 2022 . Latter-day Saint leaders condemn Colorado Springs LGBTQ club shooting . December 7, 2022 . Deseret News .
  93. Web site: Huppke . Rex . Forget thoughts and prayers: Colorado Springs shooting is what comes from anti-LGBTQ hate . USA Today . November 24, 2022 . November 22, 2022 .
  94. Web site: Wilson . Jason . Colorado Springs: Far-Right Influencers Made LGBTQ People Into Targets . Southern Poverty Law Center . November 24, 2022 . November 22, 2022 .
  95. Web site: Burns . Katelyn . The Club Q shooting was a predictable next phase of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric . MSNBC . November 24, 2022 . November 22, 2022 .
  96. Web site: Donegan . Moira . The US right is stoking anti-LGBT hate. This shooting was no surprise . The Guardian . 25 November 2022 . November 22, 2022 .
  97. Web site: Romano . Aja . The right's moral panic over 'grooming' invokes age-old homophobia . Vox . 25 November 2022 . April 21, 2022 .
  98. Web site: Kirchick . James . The Long, Sordid History of the Gay Conspiracy Theory. Today's right-wing campaign against 'groomers' is America's latest moral panic. . Intelligencer . New York Magazine . 25 November 2022 . May 31, 2022 .
  99. Web site: Rogers . Kaleigh . Why So Many Conservatives Are Talking About 'Grooming' All Of A Sudden . FiveThirtyEight . 25 November 2022 . April 13, 2022 .
  100. Web site: Mathias . Christopher . The Far-Right's Assault On An Idaho Pride Event Was Meticulously Planned . HuffPost . 25 November 2022 . June 18, 2022 . This last year has seen Republican politicians and right-wing media influencers across the country stir up a moral panic about the LGBTQ community being 'groomers' — a term for manipulating children to make them vulnerable to sexual abuse. A wave of anti-LGBTQ laws, like Florida's 'Don't say gay' bill, has swept the nation. This type of rhetoric and legislation has inspired far-right groups to confront and harass queer people in America at an accelerating rate that experts fear could soon mean more violence. .
  101. Web site: Knefel . John . YouTuber Tim Pool responds to Club Q shooting by using 'groomer' slur, accusing LGBTQ communities of harming children . Media Matters . November 24, 2022 . November 23, 2022 .
  102. Web site: Bollinger . Alex . November 22, 2022 . Guilty consciences? Conservatives deny responsibility in Club Q shooting . November 24, 2022 . . en.
  103. News: Right-wing influencers and media double down on anti-LGBTQ rhetoric in the wake of the Colorado shooting . Goggin . Ben . Tenbarge . Kate . November 23, 2022 . NBC News.
  104. News: Parks . Casey . Club Q shooting follows year of bomb threats, drag protests, anti-trans bills . The Washington Post . November 24, 2022 . https://archive.today/20221124090033/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/11/20/club-q-shooting-lgbtq-harassment/ . November 24, 2022 . November 20, 2022 . live.
  105. Web site: Kim . Caitlyn . Lauren Boebert defends her past anti-LGBTQ and anti-trans tweets . The Durango Herald . Colorado Public Radio . 1 December 2022 . November 22, 2022.
  106. News: Zialcita . Paolo . 2022-11-22 . Colorado politicians have promoted anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and policies — from local school boards to Congress — that escalate violence, experts and advocates say . . 2022-11-28.
  107. Web site: Luning . Ernest . Criticism of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric mounts in wake of mass shooting at gay club . The Gazette . 1 December 2022 . November 28, 2022.
  108. Web site: Adragna . Anthony . November 21, 2022 . Democrats slammed Lauren Boebert after the far-right firebrand tweeted condolences following a mass shooting a gay bar in Colorado Springs. . November 21, 2022 . Politico.
  109. Web site: Salam . Erum . November 24, 2022 . Lauren Boebert accused of hypocrisy over prayers for LGBTQ+ club shooting . November 24, 2022 . The Guardian.
  110. Web site: Harvey . Josephine . November 23, 2022 . Ex-Trump Lawyer Slammed As A 'Monster' After Vile Take On Club Q Shooting . November 24, 2022 . HuffPost.
  111. Madarang . Charisma . November 23, 2022 . Trump's Ex-Lawyer Says Colorado Victims Reaping Consequences of 'Eternal Damnation' . November 24, 2022 . Rolling Stone.
  112. Web site: 'Groomer' discourse intensifies and neo-Nazis celebrate in wake of Colorado Springs attack . 28 November 2022 . Institute for Strategic Dialogue.
  113. Web site: Gilbert . David . November 23, 2022 . The Far Right Is Already Attacking the Club Q Hero . 27 November 2022 . Vice News.
  114. Web site: Villarreal . Daniel . Right-wing media giants say LGBTQ bar patrons are responsible for their own murders . LGBTQ Nation . 1 January 2023 . November 23, 2022.
  115. News: Menn . Joseph . 3 December 2022 . Surging Twitter antisemitism unites fringe, encourages violence, officials say . subscription . live . https://archive.today/20221204095538/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/12/03/twitter-antisemitism-violence-jan-6/ . 4 December 2022 . The Washington Post.
  116. Web site: Klepper . David . 2022-12-17 . Anti-LGBTQ hate thrives online, spurs fears of more violence . 2023-09-07 . AP News . en.
  117. Web site: Fortinsky . Sarah . 'Shame on you': Club Q survivors blame GOP rhetoric for mass violence . CNN . 15 December 2022 . December 14, 2022.
  118. Web site: Wenzler . Elliott . Club Q survivors, co-owner testify before Congress and ask federal lawmakers to take action . The Colorado Sun . 15 December 2022 . December 14, 2022.

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