A late-night traffic stop outside a Colorado Springs McDonald’s ended in gunfire Saturday, leaving a man dead and raising fresh questions about police use of force in the city.
According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, three CSPD officers shot a man in east Colorado Springs after he allegedly fired at them during a traffic stop in a shopping center parking lot near the McDonald’s at North Academy Boulevard and San Miguel Street. Officers said the man was taken to a hospital, where he later died. A woman who was also in the car was detained and interviewed. Police have not released any names.
CSPD said a Metro Task Force made up of Colorado Springs officers and an El Paso County sheriff’s deputy was conducting proactive enforcement when they spotted the vehicle and moved in. Police say the driver tried to take off, but the car became high-centered. Officers repeatedly ordered both people in the car to get out, told the driver he was under arrest and warned that deadly force could be used. Investigators say the man then fired at least one round toward officers. The occupants were people officers already knew from previous encounters, according to KRDO.
Three CSPD officers shot back and hit the man. The El Paso County deputy at the scene did not fire a weapon, officials said. Officers pulled the man from the vehicle and began life-saving measures until emergency medical crews arrived. He was taken to a local hospital and later died, authorities reported. The woman from the car was detained and questioned, and investigators are still working to determine her role in the incident, per KKTV.
Investigation And Briefing Video
Under state protocol, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office will handle the independent investigation into the officers’ use of deadly force, and CSPD says the sheriff’s office will be responsible for public updates. Police told reporters they expect to release a "significant event briefing" within about three weeks. That briefing can include body-worn camera footage along with other investigative material. CSPD has said future information on the case will come from the sheriff’s office, according to KRDO.
What Colorado Law Says On Releases
Colorado’s 2020 law on law-enforcement transparency sets a timeline for making unedited video and audio of critical incidents public. In general, the statute requires agencies to release those recordings within 21 days if someone files a misconduct complaint or submits a request under the law. Some carve-outs can slow things down, including legal challenges, but departments often aim to release a significant event briefing inside that 21-day window. The full details are spelled out in SB20-217.
Local Pattern Of Force Reviews
The shooting comes as Colorado Springs continues to navigate a string of high-profile encounters involving police force in recent months. In late January, CSPD put out a significant event briefing after an officer shot a woman who allegedly reached for a duty shotgun inside a patrol vehicle. That earlier case was handed off first to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and then to the Fourth Judicial District for review, according to a CSPD news release.
What To Expect Next
So far, officials have not released the names of the officers involved or of the man who was killed, and investigators have not said whether any criminal charges are on the table. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is running the independent investigation and will be the main source for updates. Local outlets report that briefing materials and video should surface in roughly three weeks. This story will be updated as the sheriff’s office releases more information, per KKTV.
