Colorado Springs LGBTQ2S+ club mass killer gets life in prison, victim says 'devil awaits' defendant

The sentencing of Anderson Lee Aldrich comes just seven months after the shooting and spares victims' families and survivors a long and potentially painful trial.Aldrich was charged with more than 300 state counts, including murder and hate crimes. The U.S. Justice Department is considering pursuing federal hate crime charges, according to a senior law enforcement official familiar with the matter who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing case.

"This thing sitting in this court room is not a human, it is a monster," said Jessica Fierro, who's daughter's boyfriend was killed that night. "The devil awaits with open arms."The guilty plea comes just seven months after the shooting and spares victim's families and survivors a long and potentially painful trial.

"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."

Aldrich originally was charged with more than 300 state counts, including murder and hate crimes. The U.S. Justice Department is considering pursuing federal hate crime charges, according to a senior law enforcement official familiar with the matter who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing case.

However, the charges against Aldrich were thrown out in July 2022 after Aldrich's mother and grandparents, the victims in the case, refused to cooperate with prosecutors, evading efforts to serve them with subpoenas to testify, according to court documents unsealed after the shooting.

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