Colorado LGBTQ+ nightclub shooter pleads guilty to five murder charges

The gunman in the mass shooting at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, last year pleaded guilty Monday to five murder charges.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they and them pronouns, faces life in prison on the charges as part of the agreement with prosecutors, The Associated Press reported. 

Aldrich also pleaded guilty to 46 attempted murder charges and two bias-motivated crime charges. Aldrich originally faced more than 300 counts in the case.

The Justice Department is reportedly considering pressing federal hate crime charges against Aldrich, a senior official familiar with the case told the wire service. 

The FBI knew that the suspect posed a potential security threat before Aldrich opened fire in Club Q last November. Aldrich was tackled by patrons and subdued the suspect until police arrived, witnesses said.

Aldrich's guilty plea spares the victim's families and the shooting survivors from a trial.

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.