Police in Colorado Springs are responding to reports that an active shooter opened fire at a Planned Parenthood clinic, injuring at least four officers and an unspecified number of civilians.
A public information officer for the department sent out a tweet at 11.45am local time warning the public and members of the media the area around the family clinic ‘is NOT secure.’
A short time earlier, police officers and firefighters were called to 3480 Centennial Boulevard after getting 911 calls about shots fired.
CBS News reported that a gunman fired shots upon entering the clinic, which was guarded by security, and that law enforcement officials were concerned about the possibility explosives being involved.
At 2.15pm, the police department sent out a tweet reporting that officers on the scene were ‘encountering gunfire’ from a suspect.
Officials also confirmed that at least four officers were shot; some of the injured cops have been taken from the scene by ambulances, but police were still trying to reach the others.
One of the officers was reportedly hit in the hand. The extent of the injuries sustained by the others is unknown at this time.
The Colorado Springs Gazette quoted a police dispatch as saying that at least four civilians had been injured. There is no word on their conditions.
There have been unconfirmed reports that the gunman has hostages inside the clinic whose lives are being threatened.
The newspaper reported that one officer said on his radio that the suspect shot out the back window of his police cruiser.
They also spoke with Denise Speller, the manager of a nearby hair salon who said she heard tp to 20 gunshots a five-minute period.
She said she also saw police outside the nearby Chase bank and may have witnessed one falling to the ground.
‘We’re still pretty freaked out. We can’t stop shaking. For now we’re stuck back here not knowing,’ she said.
A dispatcher reportedly said the gunman wore a long coat with a ‘hunting-type’ hat.
Lt. Catherine Buckley, of the Colorado Springs Police Department, offered a brief update shorlty before 2pm, revealing that the suspect is believed to be armed with a ‘long gun’ of an unknown make and caliber.
