October 2015 Colorado Springs shooting

Last updated
2015 Colorado Springs shooting
Location Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
DateOctober 31, 2015 (2015-10-31)
c. 8:45 – c. 9:00 a.m. (MDT)
TargetRandom civilians
Attack type
 Triple-murder, shooting
Weapons DPMS Classic 16 (AR-15 style rifle)
Deaths4 (including the perpetrator)
Injured0
PerpetratorNoah Harpham
MotiveUnknown

On October 31, 2015, a shooting occurred near downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. [1] The shooting began around 8:45 a.m., though a 911 call was placed 10 minutes earlier [2] on the morning of Saturday, October 31, which was Halloween. [1] Three people were randomly shot and killed [3] by a gunman, later identified as 33-year-old Noah Harpham, as they were walking down Prospect Street [4] near downtown Colorado Springs. [1] A man riding a bicycle was the first victim shot [5] after pleading for his life, according to eyewitness reports. [6] The gunman then turned and ran, killing two women. These women were either killed randomly as the gunman ran down the street, firing at random [6] or sitting on a porch targeted by the gunman. [7] The gunman was later killed in a shootout with four police officers in which he was struck once. [8] [1] [9] In total, there were three crime scenes. This was the first of two shootings in Colorado Springs in less than a month; the second was the Planned Parenthood mass shooting, 28 days later.

Contents

Perpetrator

33-year old Noah Harpham [7] used a DPMS Classic 16, an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle, to kill victims. [10] Harpham was also armed with a Ruger SP101 .357 Magnum revolver and a Springfield Armory XD-M 9mm pistol, [7] [11] although it does not appear that either pistol was used in any of the shootings. All three guns were legally purchased in 2009. [12] No motive was found for the shooting, and no apparent warning signs existed, despite a video and blog posted days earlier in which Harpham complained about his parents and family life. [7] [12]

Victims

Andrew Alan Myers, 35, was the first person killed by Harpham. [13] He was the bicyclist who crossed Harpham's path. Christy Galella, 34, and Jennifer Vasquez, 42, were residents of the Platte House, a shelter for women recovering from drug and/or alcohol addiction. [13] One of the women died in the house's doorway while the other was killed on the house's porch. [13] None of the victims appeared to have connections to Harpham. [13]

Criticism of police response

A 911 call was placed ten minutes before Harpham began shooting, as a neighbor reported Harpham walking around carrying a rifle and gas cans. [14] Colorado is an open carry state, so the 911 operator dispatched only one officer who was later called off to respond to a disturbance that "threatened human life" at a senior home. [14] [15] No other officers were available to respond so the operator terminated the call. [15] Four minutes later, the same caller called back to report Myers' death. [15] There was nationwide outrage that the 911 operator did not do enough to prevent the shooting, but the department insisted the operator followed protocol. [15] [16] Many, including Colorado activist group Colorado Ceasefire, called on the city to ban open carry, though the mayor insisted they would not. [14]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ellis, Ralph (November 1, 2015). "4 dead, including suspect, in Colorado Springs shooting". CNN. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
  2. ↑ Rodgers, Jakob. "Colorado Springs police defend dispatchers involved in downtown shooting spree". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  3. ↑ "Gunman kills 3 in downtown Colorado Springs shooting spree, police say". foxnews.com. Associated Press. 2015-10-31. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  4. ↑ Steiner, Matt; Hobbs, Stephen. "4 dead, including suspected gunman, after morning shootings in downtown Colorado Springs". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  5. ↑ Rodgers, Jakob. "Questions remain in aftermath of Colorado Springs shootout with gunman". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  6. 1 2 "Witnesses describe terrifying scene during Colorado Springs rampage". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Gurman, Sadie. "Colorado Springs gunman showed no signs of violence in video". Colorado Springs Gazette. Associated Press. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  8. ↑ Hobbs, Stephen. "UPDATE: What gunman was armed with in Colorado Springs shooting spree". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  9. ↑ "Colorado Springs police defend actions of 911 dispatcher during Halloween shooting; names released of officers involved in shootout". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  10. ↑ 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. "Investigative Report from 10/31/2015 Incident Pursuant to C.R.S. §§ 16-2.5-301 and 20-1-114" (PDF)– via csindy.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ↑ Hobbs, Stephen. "UPDATE: What gunman was armed with in Colorado Springs shooting spree". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  12. 1 2 "Shooter in Colorado Springs rampage legally purchased guns". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Rodgers, Jakob (November 6, 2015). "Family recalls victim in Colorado Springs shooting spree as 'loving'". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  14. 1 2 3 Rodgers, Jakob (November 5, 2015). "Colorado Springs mayor has no 'appetite for' changing city's open-carry law". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Rodgers, Jakob (November 4, 2015). "Colorado Springs police defend dispatchers involved in downtown shooting spree". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  16. ↑ Nicholson, Kieran (November 4, 2015). "Colorado Springs police release tape of 911 call warning of man with gun". The Denver Post. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
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