An armed man who killed three people in the streets of Colorado Springs on Saturday appeared to be moving “calmly”, “like he was walking his dog,” according to a witness. The gunman, who hasn’t been identified, was killed in a shootout with police. He appeared to “not [be] in any rush,” said Matt Abshire.
“[It] kind of spooked me a little bit,” he said.
“He’s walking in the street. Two guns, walking calmly, like walking [a] dog. Not worried, not scared — nothing,” Abshire continued.
The shooting happened Saturday morning, said the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
“I heard the shots. I called the police,” said Abshire. “[I] was on the phone for about 30 seconds and I’m going back and forth between the trees so he doesn’t see me just in case he turns around.”
Abshire said he tried helping two women who were shot on their porch.
“I took my shirt off. I put a pressure on her wound. I picked her head up, posted her in the corner,” he said. “I looked down to my right — there was another lady that was shot in the jaw.”
Both women died, said officials.
“It’s mind-baffling,” said Abshire. “[You] never think it would happen to you or around you.”
Naomi Bettis, a neighbor of the suspect, said she saw the gunman holding a rifle and revolver before the shooting. But the gunman didn’t appear angry, Bettis said.
“He just looked like he was somebody that was going to be on a mission,” said Bettis, who then called the police and reported that she saw a man with guns.
Bettis then saw one of the victims shot across the street from her in “very close range.”
“I feel sad for the family, I really do,” an emotional Bettis said.
Bettis called the police again. But after the first shooting, the gunman “didn’t even look back,” Bettis said. “He just went on a rampage.”
“I just thank god that he didn’t shoot me,” she said.
The identities of the victims will be released once next of kin are notified, said the Colorado Springs Police Department.
Pending completion of autopsies & notification of next of kin there are no updates re 200 N Prospect and investigation
— Springs Police (@CSPDPIO) November 1, 2015
Chloe Siccone says
wow. that’s crazy.