COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Monday, survivors of the mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs saw the shooter sentenced to prison for the rest of their life.
Many survivors and loved ones of victims spoke in court about how they've been forever impacted by that tragic and horrifying night in November.
“This thing sitting in this courtroom is not a human, it is a monster,” said Jessica Fierro, whose daughter’s boyfriend Raymond Green Vance was killed. “The devil awaits with open arms.”
Jeff Aston, father of Club Q bartender Daniel Aston, said he had been in the prime of his life when he was shot and killed.
“He was huge light in this world that was snuffed out by a heinous, evil and cowardly act,” Jeff Aston said. “I will never again hear him laugh at my dad jokes.”
Daniel Aston’s mother, Sabrina, was among those who said they would not forgive the crimes.
Another forgave Aldrich without excusing the crime.
“I forgive this individual, as they are a symbol of a broken system, of hate and vitriol pushed against us as a community,” said Wyatt Kent, Aston’s partner. “What brings joy to me is that this hurt individual will never be able to see the joy and the light that has been wrought into our community as an outcome.”
Ed Sanders, who spent multiple nights a week at Club Q, was shot twice in the back and leg. He wanted to attend the sentencing Monday to find some closure.
"Seeing him go away for life is all we can expect," Sanders said.
He said he wasn't looking for remorse from the shooter, but he was looking for some show of humanity. Sanders said he never found that.
"The only thing that came out of him was from his lawyer that said he was remorseful," Sanders said. "That rings hollow when I remember him shooting wildly at us."
That night, when Ashtin Gamblin stared into Aldrich’s face, shots were already going off.
“I nuzzled up with my friend's body, soaking my clothes in his blood, terrified that this person might come back,” said Gamblin, who was shot nine times. “I hope for the worst things possible in prison, and even that won’t be good enough.”
Joshua Thurman, who hid to survive the shooting, said he believes the LGBTQ community will come back stronger than ever.
"It was a home for so many people and so we want to reopen to show the community that we are still strong," Thurman said.
Even as he battles trauma from that night, Thurman wants to see Club Q reopen.
"I want it to reopen to give our future queer kids and anybody in LGTBQIA2S+ to find themselves like I was able to," he said.
"I will be back there," Sanders said. "It is important to show he didn't shut us down."
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