After a five-hour standoff at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the gunman gave up around 5 p.m. on Friday. By then, three people had been killed and nine others were wounded.
One of the victims was Garrett Swasey, a 44-year-old University of Colorado Colorado Springs police officer. The university confirmed that Swasey died at around 11:50 a.m. when he responded to the call. He was a six-year veteran of the department.
KKTV reports that the two other victims are citizens. The nine wounded are currently in good condition at a hospital, police said.
The gunman has since been identified by police as Robert Dear, 57. His booking photo was released this morning. His motive is still unknown.
The stand-off started at around 11:30 a.m. A law enforcement official told NBC News that the shooter started firing in the parking lot before he went into the Planned Parenthood building. After authorities arrived, some were able to make it out of the building during the stand-off. Police were still there late into Friday night.
Sources told CBS News that Dear finally surrendered when he figured out that he couldn’t escape police. He has been cooperating with police since he was taken into custody.
“This is a terrible tragedy. It could have been much worse but for the actions of the first responders. I commend the Colorado Springs Police Department and all of the other first responders,” Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said at a 7 p.m. press conference, reports the Colorado Springs Gazette.
Planned Parenthood also issued a statement from Vicki Cowart, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains. She said:
“Our top priority is the safety of our patients and staff. Our hearts go out to everyone involved in this tragic situation. Planned Parenthood has strong security measures in place, works closely with law enforcement agencies, and has a very strong safety record. We don't yet know the full circumstances and motives behind this criminal action, and we don't yet know if Planned Parenthood was in fact the target of this attack. We share the concerns of many Americans that extremists are creating a poisonous environment that feeds domestic terrorism in this country. We will never back away from providing care in a safe, supportive environment that millions of people rely on and trust."