Aaron Franklin Brink had a disturbing reaction when he learned his son was suspected of killing multiple people at an LGBTQ bar.
“They started telling me about the incident, a shooting involving multiple people,” Brink told CBS 8. “And then I go on to find out it’s a gay bar … I said, ‘God, is he gay?’ I got scared, ‘Shit, is he gay?’ And he’s not gay, so I said, ‘Phhhewww…’”
Brink, who is said to be a former MMA fighter and porn actor, went on to make several homophobic remarks during the interview, suggesting he was morally opposed to homosexuality because of his faith.
“You know Mormons don’t do gay. We don’t do gay,” he said. “There’s no gays in the Mormon church. We don’t do gay.”
The interview took place just days after Brink’s estranged son, Anderson Lee Aldrich, allegedly carried out a deadly shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs. Police say the 22-year-old suspect entered the bar shortly before midnight last Saturday armed with an an AR-style rifle and a handgun. Aldrich, who was reportedly wearing body armor, immediately opened fire inside the venue, killing five people and injury 19 others. The gunman was ultimately stopped by Richard Fierro and Thomas James, two Club Q patrons who managed to take the guns from him.
“While the suspect was inside of the club, at least two heroic people inside the club confronted and fought with the suspect and were able to stop the suspect from continuing to kill and harm others,” said Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez at a news conference Sunday morning. “We owe them a great debt of thanks.”
The man has since been charged with five counts of first-degree murder and five counts of “bias-motivated crimes causing bodily injury.” In a court filing Tuesday, Aldrich’s attorney said the suspected shooter identifies as “nonbinary” and uses they/them pronouns. Brink consistently referred to Aldrich with he/him pronouns.
The father expressed condolences to the victims’ families, and apologized for “letting his son down.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. Life is so fragile and it’s valuable,” he said. “Those people’s lives were valuable. You know, they’re valuable. They’re good people probably. It’s not something you kill somebody over. I’m sorry I let my son down … I love my son no matter what. I love my son. Please forgive my son.”
