Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke announced today that Anderson Lee Aldrich has been sentenced to 55 life sentences running concurrently plus 190 years, without the possibility of parole. This sentencing follows Aldrich's involvement in a mass shooting at Club Q on November 19, 2022, which resulted in five deaths and numerous injuries. The attack was described as one of the most violent hate crimes targeting the LGBTQIA+ community in U.S. history.
Clarke, speaking alongside Acting U.S. Attorney Matt Kirsch, FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers, emphasized the gravity of the crime. "This tragedy runs contrary to our most basic American values," Clarke stated.
The attack occurred on the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance when members of the LGBTQIA+ community gathered at Club Q. Clarke noted that Aldrich had visited Club Q multiple times before the shooting and had used online platforms to promote anti-gay and anti-transgender views. Armed with an AR-15 style assault weapon, Aldrich carried out a premeditated attack that left Club Q resembling a war zone.
Survivors continue to grapple with physical injuries and trauma from the incident. Clarke acknowledged that while the sentence cannot undo the harm inflicted, it serves as a strong message against hate-fueled violence: "We will not tolerate hate in our country."
The sentencing coincides with Pride Month and follows closely after the anniversary of another tragic event—the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. Clarke highlighted this timing as a call for heightened vigilance against hate.
In her closing remarks, Clarke reaffirmed the Justice Department's commitment to protecting all individuals from bias-motivated violence under laws such as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act: "In America, no one should be subjected to hate or violence because of who they are."
She concluded by expressing gratitude towards federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who collaborated on this case.