According to a court document submitted on Tuesday night, Anderson Lee Aldrich, the suspect who is accused of shooting and killing five people and injuring at least 18 others over the weekend at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado, identifies as non-binary and uses the pronouns “they/them.”
The shooting last weekend has led to many murder and hate crime accusations against Aldrich, 22.
The New York Times reported that Aldrich’s public defender revealed that Aldrich is “nonbinary” and uses “they/them pronouns.” Aldrich is referred to in the court documents as “Mx. Aldrich” in addition to the pronouns.
In the filing, it is noted in the footnote that Anderson Aldrich is nonbinary. They will be referred to as Mx. Aldrich for the purposes of all official filings and they employ the pronouns they/them.
After Democrats and parts of the corporate press politicized the shooting and held Republicans to for the tragedy, word of Aldrich’s gender identity emerged.
For instance, according to NBC’s Ben Collins, LGBTQ+ people were targeted in the months prior to the nightclub shooting by “Republican lawmakers” and the “internet’s far-right machine.”
Collins said MSNBC, “But I think we need to have a come-to-Jesus moment here as reporters.” “Are we more terrified of the deceased people or of being on Breitbart for suggesting that trans persons deserve to be alive? I’m more terrified of the dead because of this.
Shortly after Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado released a statement denouncing the violence in her home state, Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) attacked Boebert as a “bigot” who inspired the gunman.
Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, “.@laurenboebert you have played a significant role in amplifying anti-LGBT+ hate language and anti-trans lies while spending your time in Congress opposing even the most basic sense gun safety regulations.” You cannot escape from this situation with ‘thoughts and prayers. Look within and make changes.
In an Instagram post on Boebert, Cortez said, “Dehumanizing speech leads to dehumanizing deeds, which swiftly transfer to violence, shootings, assaults, and worse.”
According to the Denver Post, Aldrich will appear in court virtually on Wednesday from behind bars.
