Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ club mass killer gets life in prison, victim says 'devil awaits' defendant: Tuesday, June 27

One-by-one, nearly two dozen victims stood in a courtroom to confront the person who pleaded guilty to murdering five people and injuring 17 others in an attack last year on a nightclub that served as a sanctuary for the LGBTQ+ community in Colorado Springs.

Some cried, others seethed with anger. They called him coward, monster, terrorist.

Family and friends of the deceased and survivors who witnessed Anderson Lee Aldrich unleash terror at Club Q a week before Thanksgiving made sure during Monday’s emotional hearing that Aldrich won’t start a life prison sentence without confronting the truth of the many lives ruined or inalterably changed.

“This monster next to me decided to come into my job and our community safe space and begin hunting us down as if our lives were meaningless,” said Michael Anderson, who was bartending that night. “He has broken this community into pieces that may never be repaired."

Aldrich pleaded guilty in state court to five counts of murder and 46 counts of attempted murder – one for each person at Club Q during the attack. Aldrich also pleaded no contest to two hate crimes.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/gay-nightclub-shooting-suspect-guilty-plea/507-6903a930-7af9-4db1-9121-9fc88d8f8b6e

Two construction workers moving traffic cones were struck by a car on Monday.

The crash happened on NC Highway 150 near Vinewood Road in Catawba County on Monday around 3:35 p.m., according to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

Two construction crew flaggers were hit by a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Jerry Lee Johnson, 80.

One of the flaggers, Ryan Tanner, 23, died from injuries suffered in the crash. The other flagger was transported to a local medical center and is in stable condition.

A member of the flag crew was in the roadway with a stop sign during the crash, troopers said.

Troopers say alcohol was not a contributing factor. Charges are pending against Johnson as the investigation continues.

READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/local/deadly-crash-under-investigation-in-catawba-county-north-carolina/275-67180f2f-a819-4fbf-8c71-eb3220ae9ae6

Watch Wake Up Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m. on WCNC Charlotte, and as always, join the conversation on social media using #WakeUpCLT!