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October 2015 Colorado Springs shooting

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For other shootings in Colorado Springs, see Colorado Springs shooting.
2015 Colorado Springs shooting
LocationColorado 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
WeaponsDPMS 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.

Perpetrator

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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

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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

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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

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  1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b "Witnesses describe terrifying scene during Colorado Springs rampage". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  7. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b "Shooter in Colorado Springs rampage legally purchased guns". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  13. ^ a b c d Rodgers, Jakob (November 6, 2015). "Family recalls victim in Colorado Springs shooting spree as 'loving'". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  14. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c d 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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