Defense: Club Q shooting suspect visited before bloodbath

DENVER — The person charged with fatally shooting five people and wounding 17 others at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs last year was at the venue for more than an hour earlier that night before returning to carry out the mass shooting, according to information disclosed Friday during a procedural court hearing. Archambault wanted to delay a three-day hearing starting Feb. 22 to determine if Aldrich will stand trial in the case partly because there is no audio yet available for surveillance video showing them in the club before, which may have captured statements they or others made. Short also argued that the upcoming preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for Aldrich to stand trial only requires prosecutors to show probable cause that Aldrich committed the crimes, with the evidence viewed in the prosecution’s favor at this stage of the proceedings. Judge Michael McHenry denied the defense’s request to delay the hearing, noting that not all the evidence must be presented, because the preliminary hearing is not a “mini trial.” However, he said that if new information comes to light after the hearing he would be open to considering whether that would be enough to consider releasing Aldrich on bond while the case proceeds.