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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 7 February 2018
Colorado mourns third officer killed in 5 weeks

By KATHLEEN FOODY he said in a statement.
P. SOLOMON BANDA It also wasn't clear who
Associated Press fired or how many shots
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. were fired. Carey and Elder
(AP) — Colorado is mourn- didn't take questions after
ing the loss of its third law delivering brief statements
enforcement officer killed Monday.
in the line of duty in five Jason Adams, 52, who lives
weeks after a sheriff's depu- nearby, told the Colorado
ty was shot while investigat- Springs Gazette that he
ing a stolen car. heard gunshots and ran to
Deputy Micah Flick, 34, was the scene, which he de-
killed and four others — two scribed as a "war zone."
sheriff's deputies, a police He said he saw emergency
officer and a bystander — responders tending to three
were wounded Monday people lying on the ground,
in a shooting in a neigh- A police chaplain heads to the ambulance entrance at one of whom appeared to
borhood of single-family UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central following a shooting in Col- have bullet wounds in the
homes, apartments and re- orado Springs, Colo., Monday, Feb. 5, 2018. A Colorado sher- side of his torso.
tail stores just east of down- iff's deputy was shot and killed on Monday, the third officer to Police remained in the
town Colorado Springs. be gunned down in the line of duty in the state in the past five area hours after the shoot-
"They encountered an weeks. ing, while other officers and
adult male suspect, a strug- (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP) bystanders lined the streets
gle ensued and shots were "We will once more come pray for the recovery of to watch as a procession
fired," Colorado Springs Po- together to provide sym- those injured; however, we drove Flick's body from a lo-
lice Chief Pete Carey told pathy and strength for the also must come together cal hospital to the coroner's
reporters at the hospital deputy's loved ones and and say enough is enough," office. q
where Flick and the injured
were taken.
The lone suspect was killed,
authorities said.
A day later, several police
cars still blocked entry to
some parking lots for an
apartment complex and
police tape roped off a
large portion of the com-
plex. A few residents lifted
the police tape as they
went out to cars or re-
turned home, but the area
was otherwise quiet.
One of the sheriff's offi-
cers who was wounded,
Sgt. Jake Abendshan, was
treated and released Mon-
day night, but Deputy Scott
Stone remained in the hos-
pital in stable condition
Tuesday, the sheriff's office
said.
The conditions of the police
officer and the bystander
have not been released.
Flick was killed on his 11th
anniversary with the sheriff's
office. He leaves behind a
wife and 7-year-old twins.
"Deputy Flick was an out-
standing member of my
agency and he will be
missed," said El Paso Coun-
ty Sheriff Bill Elder, who
choked up while talking to
reporters.
Flags were lowered on
state buildings at the order
of Gov. John Hickenlooper,
who said that the deadly
violence against officers is
having a "grave impact" on
Colorado.