Colorado Springs police shot and killed a man carrying an AR-15 rifle who disregarded orders to drop the weapon Thursday morning, police said.
The shooting happened about 6:30 a.m., when officers were working a stolen car detail in the 500 block of Garden of the Gods Road, according to a news release.
A vehicle with no license plates was spotted in a Quality Inn parking lot. Officers attempted contact with a man inside the vehicle. He got out with “what appeared to be an AR-15” pointed at his own chin, the release said.
The armed man walked to a nearby Phillips 66 gas station as officers gave commands for him to drop the weapon. He did not comply. As the suspect approached a person pumping gas, an officer fired a Taser, which was ineffective. Another officer fired a gun, and the suspect was hit, the release said. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.
The man’s identity will be released by the El Paso County coroner’s office.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting. The officer who fired has been placed on administrative leave, per department policy.
AlmityCornhole on April 23rd, 2021 at 19:04 UTC »
Lot of people here that are expecting a suicidal person to be reasonable.
VenserSojo on April 23rd, 2021 at 13:51 UTC »
Seems like a cut and dry suicide by cop, unfortunate but not that uncommon sadly.
CW1DR5H5I64A on April 23rd, 2021 at 13:32 UTC »
He was pointing it at his own chin, refused to drop it, and then approached a civilian at a gas station with the rifle.
Cops tried to taser him, didn’t work. So they had to shoot him before he harmed anyone at the gas station.
Really unfortunate, it sounds like this was suicide by cop.