COLORADO SPRINGS — According to CSPD Communications on Twitter, I-25 is currently closed in both directions at South Circle Drive due to police activity.
CSPD says a suspect assaulted an officer, then stole a cop car and led officers on a chase before crashing into several cars.
Just before 10 p.m. Friday night, CSPD reported its Communications Center received a report from a person who said a male approached them in a parking lot and asked for a ride in the 200 block of E. Arvada Street, near I-25 and S. Nevada Ave. When the person refused the male grabbed them and pulled a knife. The victim was able to get away and called 911.
As officers were responding the suspect made his way into Meadows Pointe, an apartment complex nearby, where police said “a homicide occurred.”
The first officer to arrive was confronted by the suspect who assaulted them. The officer fired their duty weapon at least one time at the suspect, who got away and made his way into the officer’s marked patrol car and took off down E. Arvada Street and then onto southbound I-25.
Other CSPD began chasing the suspect and he crashed into multiple cars, which disabled the stolen patrol car near southbound I-25 and S. Academy Blvd. The suspect was then taken into custody and transported to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries.
CSPD said the crime scene is several miles long and the investigation will take several hours. CSPD’s Major Crash Team is investigating the crashes and CSPD’s Violent Crime Section is taking over the investigation into the homicide.
The El Paso County Sherriff’s Office is investigating the Officer Involved Shooting portion of the incident.
A portion of I-25 southbound is still closed at this time and traffic is diverted at the Lake Avenue exit. There’s no word when it will reopen.
The CSPD officer involved in the shooting suffered minor injuries and is on administrative leave per department policy.