Anderson Aldrich, who killed five people at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ nightclub in November, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday after more than 20 people gave victim statements to the court, lamenting Aldrich as a “coward” and a “monster.”

Aldrich pleaded guilty Monday morning in a packed courtroom to five counts of first-degree murder and 46 counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Aldrich fatally shot five people and injured nearly two dozen at nightclub on North Academy Boulevard on Nov. 19. Aldrich faced 323 charges, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, hate crimes and more from the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Daniel Aston, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh, Derrick Rump and Raymond Green Vance — whose ages ranged from 22 to 40 — died in the shooting. Seventeen more were injured by gunfire.

“I intentionally and after deliberation caused the death of each victim listed in those accounts,” Aldrich told the court after pleading guilty to 51 total charges.

Aldrich additionally pleaded no contest to two counts of bias-motivated crime.

“I believe there is a high probability of being found guilty at trial on those counts, so I’m pleading no contest,” Aldrich stated.

After numerous victim impact statements to the court, Aldrich was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences in the Colorado Department of Corrections for each guilty plea of first-degree murder and 48 years in the Department of Corrections to run consecutively for each attempted first-degree murder charge, totaling 2,208 years in prison.

Anderson Aldrich guilty plea in Club Q shooting: Mayor Mobolade’s statement

Aldrich also received three years and 164 days in prison for pleading no contest to the bias-motivated crime charge.

As Judge Michael McHenry read Aldrich the sentence, tears could be seen throughout the emotional courtroom.

“When you commit a hate crime, you are targeting a group of people for their simple existence,” McHenry told Aldrich before issuing his sentence. “For taking these five lives, and attempting to take 46 more you will now spend the rest of your life in prison. We grieve this loss of life, and we affirm the value of all members of our community. Justice demands no less.”

Aldrich’s attorney, Joseph Archambault, spoke on behalf of Aldrich prior to sentencing, claiming that Aldrich feels regret for the shooting deaths.

“They (Aldrich) are deeply remorseful, deeply sorry,” Archambault told the judge. “They know they can’t do anything to make it right.”

As Archambault read the words of Aldrich, a soft rumble could be heard throughout the courtroom.

When District Attorney and lead prosecutor Michael Allen gave his statement to the court, he referred to the claims of Aldrich being remorseful as “completely disgusting.”

“Those statements are self-serving in nature,” Allen said. “(Aldrich) wanted to make himself the victim.”

Allen said the sentence received by Aldrich would have been the maximum sentence possible in the state of Colorado had the case gone to trial. During a press conference following the end of the sentencing hearing Allen said the sentence was the longest in the history of the 4th Judicial District, and the second-longest in the history of the state of Colorado.

Only James Holmes, the man who shot and killed 12 people at an Aurora movie theater in 2012, received a longer sentence. Holmes was given 12 sentences of life in prison and an additional 3,318 years in prison for the remaining charges.

John Suthers, former mayor of Colorado Springs John Suthers, echoed the claims from Allen, saying during the press conference that without the death penalty in Colorado, this was the maximum possible sentence Aldrich could have received.

Allen also that the fear of the death penalty at the federal level was a major reason for Aldrich accepting the plea deal in district court.

Mark Michalek, an FBI special agent, confirmed at the press conference that the bureau has opened an investigation into Aldrich. 

Prior to the plea deal being read, Aldrich acknowledged identifying as non-binary. At the press conference, Allen said Aldrich’s claim of being non-binary was “cowardice” and an attempt at avoiding justice.

Numerous Club Q shooting victims and their families gave their victim impact statements prior to McHenry’s sentencing of Aldrich.

“Our whole world changed not by choice,” said Richard Fierro, whose daughter had been dating Vance, 22. Fierro, a military veteran and local businessman, helped subdue and disarm Aldrich.

“His decision to murder … and destroy is one that is unforgivable to me,” Fierro said, staring directly at Aldrich as he spoke. “‘I hope the words I yelled into the back of your heads echo for the rest of your life.”

As Fierro gave his statement Aldrich stared directly back during nearly the entire statement — the only such one-on-one situation as statements were read. Aldrich’s red-eyed gaze followed Fierro to his seat, finally looking down at the table as Fierro sat down.

Several more friends and family of the five killed by Aldrich gave victim impact statements, including Jeff Aston, the father of Daniel Aston, 28.

“Daniel Aston should be here, he was in the prime of his life, he was happy,” said Jeff Aston. “He had family and many many friends he loved, and who loved him.”

Ashley Paugh, 35, had traveled to Colorado Springs from La Junta for a night out with friends before the shooting.

“With one cowardly act my wife, my best friend, the mother of my child is gone,” said Kurt Paugh, her husband.

Raymond Green Vance was at Club Q with his longtime girlfriend, her parents and a group of friends on that fatal Saturday night.

“He was always there for his family and friends,” said his mother, Adriana Vance. “He never harmed a soul.

“He was killed in a horrific manner in what amounted to less than five minutes. This man doesn’t deserve to go on. What matters now, is that he never sees a sunrise, or a sunset.”

Tiffany Loving, the sister of Kelly Loving, 40, said through her attorney “just like that my sister became a number.”

“I love my sister dearly, I miss her so much,” Tiffany Loving added through her attorney. “I can’t help but feel robbed. … I refuse to let my sister be erased by horrific violence on the LGBTQ community.”

Aldrich, who appeared to court in an untuck blue short-sleeve shirt and a dark blue tie looked straight ahead as McHenry read the prison sentence, marking the final time the Club Q shooter will appear in Colorado’s 4th Judicial District Court.

“This act isn’t what’s going to end Club Q,” Matthew Haynes, owner of Club Q, said at the press conference.