A 48-year-old man is facing felony charges after police say he forced his way back into a Colorado Springs business he had previously been trespassed from, threatening an employee who barricaded themselves inside an office as a frantic 911 caller reported someone was trying to kill them.
The Colorado Springs Police Department responded to two separate calls about a disturbance at a business along Airport Road, west of the Powers Boulevard intersection, according to KKTV. An employee told officers that a person who had already been trespassed from the property was causing the disturbance, the station reported, and police say the suspect ultimately forced his way into the business.
During the chaos, a 911 caller told dispatchers that a store employee was trying to kill them and reported that someone was armed with a gun, per the station's account. Police say the suspect threatened an employee who had taken shelter inside an office during the confrontation.
Suspect Was Locked Out, Reportedly Displayed a Razor
When officers arrived, the suspect was reportedly trying to leave and had been locked out of the business, according to police cited by the same outlet. The report notes he was initially uncooperative during the arrest attempt and reportedly showed a straight razor before police detained him.
Police identified the suspect as Tamil Mitchell, 48, and accused him of felony menacing and burglary, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department's account relayed by the station. Under Colorado Revised Statutes § 18-3-206, felony menacing becomes a Class 5 felony when committed with a firearm, knife, bludgeon, or a simulated firearm, knife, or bludgeon, according to Justia Law.
The burglary count also carries significant exposure. Second-degree burglary of a non-dwelling commercial business is charged as a Class 4 felony under C.R.S. § 18-4-203, with a presumptive sentence of two to six years in prison, three years of mandatory parole, and fines up to $500,000, per the O'Malley Law Office. Colorado's burglary statute requires only unlawful entry with intent to commit a crime, regardless of whether anything was actually taken.
A Corridor Undergoing Major Construction
The commercial stretch of Airport Road sits directly west of Powers Boulevard and serves as a primary access point for the West Gate of Peterson Space Force Base, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. CDOT has outlined plans for a Diverging Diamond Interchange project at the busy signalized intersection.
Christian A. Schwaner, P.C., handles felony cases across El Paso and Teller counties, according to Christian A. Schwaner, P.C..
Incident Comes Amid Falling Property Crime Citywide
The arrest lands against a backdrop of declining property crime in Colorado Springs. Commercial and residential burglaries across the city fell 19% in 2025, while overall property crime dropped 14%, according to public safety data released by the City of Colorado Springs. That data also showed notable single-year drops in homicides and motor vehicle thefts.
A mid-2026 analysis from the Council on Criminal Justice, reported by Axios, discussed automated license plate readers and real-time investigative technologies in Colorado Springs. The police department also offers online reporting for non-emergency property crimes.
This incident follows other recent Colorado Springs cases involving armed confrontations at homes and businesses, including a homeowner shooting at an intruder earlier this month that also ended in a felony menacing arrest.
