Halloween 2015 Colorado Springs shooting

On October 31, 2015, a shooting occurred near downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado.[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 lone gunman 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 the gunman was struck once.[8][1][9] In total, there were three crime scenes. This was the first of two such events[lower-alpha 1] in Colorado Springs in less than a month; the second was the Planned Parenthood mass shooting, 28 days later.

Halloween 2015 Colorado Springs shooting
LocationColorado Springs, Colorado, United States
DateOctober 31, 2015 (2015-10-31)
c. 8:45 a.m. – c. 9 a.m. (MDT)
TargetRandom people
Attack type
Shooting
WeaponsDPMS Classic 16 AR-15 style rifle
Deaths4 (including the perpetrator)
PerpetratorNoah Harpham
MotiveUnknown

Perpetrator

Thirty-three 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 the revolver or pistol were 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]

Controversy

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]

Notes
  1. This event does not conform to the general definition of a mass shooting, which is when four or more people are shot (injured or killed), not including the shooter(s).

See also

References
  1. 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. "Witnesses describe terrifying scene during Colorado Springs rampage". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  7. 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.
  11. Hobbs, Stephen. "UPDATE: What gunman was armed with in Colorado Springs shooting spree". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  12. "Shooter in Colorado Springs rampage legally purchased guns". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  13. Rodgers, Jakob (November 6, 2015). "Family recalls victim in Colorado Springs shooting spree as 'loving'". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  14. 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. 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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