Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade said that while legal justice was served Monday when Anderson Aldrich pleaded guilty to dozens of charges for the Club Q mass shooting that left dead, “our collective fight for justice and healing must continue.”

Aldrich pleaded guilty in a capacity 4th Judicial District courtroom to five counts of first-degree murder and 46 counts of attempted first-degree murder. Aldrich was sentenced to more than 2,000 years in prison.  

‘His decision to murder, maim and destroy…is unforgivable’: Club Q victims and families give statements

Aldrich was accused of fatally shooting five people and injuring nearly two dozen at the LGBTQ+ nightclub on North Academy Boulevard on Nov. 19. Aldrich faced 323 charges, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, hate crimes and more from the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

The mayor tweeted a statement after Aldrich’s guilty plea and sentencing.

“The weight of the loss that the LGBTQIA2+ community, that our Colorado Springs community shares, is heavy, and it is hard. Still, in the darkest of times, we choose to find the light.

Anderson Aldrich pleads guilty in Club Q massacre, gets 5 life sentences and 2,000-plus years in prison

“In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, ‘only when it is dark enough can you see the stars’. I am proud of our community’s efforts to come together, to heal and to remember, and I’m proud of all those who helped save lives that November night in the face of evil.

“Three heroes whose selfless actions stopped further terror from happening deserve additional praise. They are Tom James, Richard Fierro and Drea Norman.

“Today, and every day, we think of all the victims of Club Q, and we remember our friends Daniel Aston, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh, Derrick Rump and Raymond Green Vance.

“Today begins the next phase of recovery. As your Mayor, I will work to build a city where everyone has the right to thrive, to be safe, welcomed and seen as they are. We are Colorado Springs.”