On April 3, 2022, just after 5:00 AM, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center received multiple 911 calls from citizens reporting a shooting outside of a residence in the 6000 block of Metropolitan Street. This is in a dense residential neighborhood located in Security/Widefield in unincorporated El Paso County.
When EPSO Patrol Division deputies arrived they discovered two adults with gunshot wounds. They were subsequently transported to a local hospital for treatment and are expected to survive their injuries. They will not be identified at this time. Detectives from EPSO’s Investigations Division responded and assumed investigative control of the incident.
Deputies were additionally able to obtain a detailed description of the suspect who fled prior to their arrival. This description was passed on to our regional law enforcement partners including the Colorado Springs Police Department, the Fountain Police Department, and the Colorado State Patrol. Additionally, a “shelter-in-place” public safety request was put out to that area.
Shortly after 6:30 AM a person matching the description of the suspect was seen on foot in the Stratmoor Valley area of unincorporated El Paso County. An additional shelter-in-place request was put out for citizens in this area. Law enforcement units from Fountain, State Patrol, and EPSO flooded the area to establish containment and begin a search. The SWAT element and K9 element of EPSO’s Tactical Support Group, along with EPSO Patrol Division deputies, an additional K9 Unit from CSPD, and drone assistance from Fountain PD officers, began a yard to yard search in the area for the suspect.
During this time information continued to be evaluated by detectives and the incident commander and, as a result, it was determined there was no longer a known threat to the community and this search was stopped. Additionally, the shelter-in-place public safety request was lifted.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the public for their invaluable assistance in adhering to our public safety requests this morning. By remaining inside your homes in the affected areas or staying away from the affected areas otherwise, you ensured law enforcement personnel were able to focus on the relevant information to the investigation and not be distracted by persons not involved in the incident.
Additionally, the Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Fountain PD, State Patrol, and CSPD for their invaluable assistance this morning.
This is still an active investigation, and if anyone has information relevant to this case they are asked to call EPSO’s Tip Line at 719-520-7777 or Crime Stoppers at 719-684-6525.
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