GUN MAN KILLS 3 AT PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINIC IN COLORADO SPRINGS USA

PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINIC COLORADO SPRINGS

The police in Colorado Springs, USA report that a man, Robert Lewis Dear, 57 years, of South Carolina, wearing hunting gear and armed with a long gun went on a shooting spree, which commenced at about 11:38am, killing a police officer and two civilians yesterday, Friday, inside a Planned Parenthood clinic in the town.

SHOOTER LED AWAY BY POLICE

The authorities identified the dead officer as Garrett Swasey, 44, who was assisting Colorado Springs police in the incident, Swasey was a six-year veteran of the town’s university police department.

The Planned Parenthood organization, however, said in a statement that its staffers were not among the civilians killed at the location as they had all been accounted for.

Colorado Springs police Lt. Catherine Buckley confirmed that the alleged shooter had been taken into custody Friday evening after barricading himself inside the clinic while carrying out the shooting rampage that the police officer and two civilians dead. Five other police officers and four other civilians were injured in the shooting the authorities said.

The police had earlier in a rescue operation, with the gunman still free, entered into the Planned Parenthood building and brought out six or seven civilians hiding in a bathroom. They also successfully evacuated others from the building.

The police spokesperson said the suspect carried some items with him into the clinic but did not confirm if the items were dangerous devices.

The White House officials confirmed that President Obama had been informed about the development in Colorado by the Homeland Security advisor and updates would be given to him as needed.

The president of Planned Parenthood, Vicki Cowart said in a statement: "The heart of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains is broken tonight as we try to make sense of the horrific tragedy that struck our beloved health center in Colorado Springs today. Our thoughts are with the all those who were impacted and particularly the families of the two civilians and one heroic law-enforcement officer whose lives were lost." He noted that the shooter's motives remained unknown same with if the Planned Parenthood was deliberately targeted.

The National Abortion Federation, however, pointed to a series of anti-abortion videos released earlier in the year, saying the videos have resulted in an unprecedented increase in hate speech and threats against abortion providers.