A standoff in El Paso County led to the arrest of a man with multiple warrants, articles from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office reveal. Yesterday afternoon, SWAT teams were called to a residence on Highway 94 after locating 62-year-old Matthew Kalkman, wanted for charges including sexual assaults on children.
Upon the SWAT team's arrival, one family member exited the house and was secured, while Kalkman barricaded himself inside the home. According to El Paso County Sheriff's Office, the ensuing negotiations saw Kalkman threaten law enforcement officers with gunfire and explosives, the sheriff's office said. During the standoff, the suspect fired shots at deputies, hitting an armored vehicle, and narrowly missing an officer.
To establish better communication and surveil the interior, law enforcement deployed a robot which located and attempted to secure a firearm. Kalkman, however, managed to retrieve the weapon from under the robot. In a tactical move to coax Kalkman out, SWAT members used chemical irritants. After several hours, the man finally surrendered without further incident.
Kalkman now faces additional charges in connection with the standoff, during which "no deputies or members of the community were injured." Sheriff Joseph Roybal commended the officers involved, stating, "The bravery, professionalism, and restraint displayed by our deputies in this incident cannot be overstated," said Roybal, as per El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
The El Paso County Sheriff's Office extended thanks to the Colorado Springs Police Department, the Ellicott Fire Department, the Colorado Springs Fire Department, and American Medical Response for their support. Following his surrender, Kalkman was taken to a hospital for evaluation before being booked into jail. At this time, no booking photograph has been released.
