The gunman who allegedly killed five people at an LGBTQ club in Colorado is apparently the grandson of a Republican legislator from California who compared the attack on the US Capitol on January 6 to the American Revolution.
Multiple news sites have identified Anderson Lee Aldrich’s mother as Laura Voepel, whose father is Randy Voepel, 71, a former state assemblyman who lost his seat in the midterm elections, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The Democrat, who has represented the 71st District since 2016, was attacked in 2017 for comparing the January 6 uprising to the American Revolution.
“Here we are at Lexington and Concord. Three days after the incident, he told the Union-Tribune, “the first guns were fired against tyranny.” “Tyranny will follow the inauguration of Joe Biden on January 20th.”
According to reports, 71-year-old Republican California Assemblyman Randy Voepel is the grandpa of alleged Colorado LGBT club mass shooter Anderson Lee Aldrich.
Voepel likened the uprising on January 6 to the American Revolutionary War.
Later, he claimed his remarks were misunderstood and called the acts of Trump supporters at the Capitol abhorrent.
Voepel stated, “The left has its nuts and the right has its crazy, and I do not endorse either side.” “I favor the First Amendment and the right to demonstrate, provided that it remains peaceful.”
The Colorado Springs Gazette noted that Laura Voepel’s Facebook profile has repeated references to her father’s public work.
“Keep up the excellent work, Dad. In April 2020, she wrote of Randy, the former mayor of Santee, California, that “many of us recognize your efforts to enhance our lives.”
Joshua Thurman responds the morning after the horrific shooting at Club Q, a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub.
REUTERS
In the mass shooting, at least five people were killed and 25 were injured.
AFP Images via Getty
According to police records, Aldrich was charged with harassing and first-degree abduction in June 2021 for reportedly threatening to explode an explosive device against his mother.
According to local Fox affiliate KDVR, he was not charged, however, because she refused to cooperate with police.
Aldrich also dodged “red flag regulations” — which allow police to remove guns from those regarded a threat to themselves or others — by having the case’s records sealed when no explosives were discovered.
On Saturday night, the guy reportedly entered Club Q and opened fire on clients and workers until three brave customers subdued him.
Investigators are searching for a motive and have stated that hate crime charges would be considered.
The Post has reached out to the office of Randy Voepel for comment.