Anderson Aldrich pleaded guilty Monday to 53 counts in the Nov. 19 attack on an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs.

The only way Aldrich, who is nonbinary and uses “they” and “them” as pronouns, could have prevented spending the rest of their life in prison was by mounting an insanity defense.

Aldrich was arrested by SWAT officers in 2021 after allegedly loading bullets into a Glock pistol and warning their frightened grandparents not to interfere with an elaborate plan to stockpile guns, ammo, body armor and a homemade bomb and commit mass violence. “You guys die today and I’m taking you with me,” Aldrich allegedly said, court documents show. “I’m loaded and ready.”

Aldrich also threatened to become the “next mass killer.”

A judge dismissed the case against Aldrich in July 2022, however, after prosecutors were unable to serve subpoenas on witnesses, namely the suspect’s mother and grandparents. Aldrich petitioned for the case to be sealed when the charges were dropped, a request that was granted.

https://coloradosun.com/2023/06/26/anderson-aldrich-pleads-guilty-club-q-shooting/