Club Q suspect faces 305 criminal counts
The suspect accused of entering a Colorado gay nightclub clad in body armor and opening fire with an Ar-15-style rifle, killing five people and wounding 17 others, was charged by prosecutors Tuesday with 305 criminal counts including hate crimes and murder.
The counts against Anderson Lee Aldrich include 48 hate crime charges, one for each person known to have been in the club at the time of the shooting.
Investigators say Aldrich, 22, entered Club Q in Colorado Springs, just before midnight on Nov. 19 and began shooting during a drag queen’s birthday celebration. The killing stopped after patrons wrestled the suspect to the ground, beating Aldrich into submission, they said.
Of the 48 hate crime charges, 27 counts involve injuries and 21 involve people fearing injury or property damage.