Shots fired investigation prompts UCCS campus closure, suspect in custody

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, confirms that police now have a suspect in custody following multiple shots being fired on campus late Monday night, putting the campus on lockdown briefly.

According to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD), at around 10:23 p.m. on Jan. 12, officers were sent to the 4000 block of Clyde Way after multiple people called to report hearing shots fired on the UCCS campus. Campus police heard similar reports and also responded to the scene.

The school announced a full campus closure on Jan. 13 at 10:36 a.m. due to an active on-campus investigation.

Police tell KRDO13 the shots reportedly came from outside the Alpine Village Apartments, a dormitory on campus just off of Austin Bluffs Parkway.

CSPD says that an early investigation revealed that a student had parked their car outside the dorms when the suspect came outside and confronted them about where they'd parked. The conversation escalated, and that's when police believe the suspect pointed a handgun at the student, firing "at least one round" before running from the scene.

UCCS police briefly locked down the campus while the immediate area was searched. Colorado Springs police and UCCS officers canvassed the area on foot, utilizing a drone from the Real Time Crime center.

Police say no one was injured in the incident.

KRDO13 asked CSPD for more details on the suspect who was taken into custody. The department says it is not releasing further information at this time due to the ongoing investigation.

We spoke with students who said the situation on Monday night made it hard to focus on their assignments.

"I was working on a paper that was due at 11:59 at night, and around 10:15, I just heard two loud bangs. But it's kind of typical around campus to hear random sounds, so I didn't think anything of it at the time," explained Tanner Bertram, "but then I got the alert for the shelter in place at 11:15-ish. And then it was just waiting for news from there."

Bertram says he was attending class on Tuesday when he got the next alert around 10:30 a.m. saying the campus was closed. The senior at UCCS says that after everything his class has endured, he and his peers continue to be resilient.

"UCCS is a great community, and I think we've just been hit by these awful things these last couple of years. So I think it's important for all of us to stay strong, and support each other where we can, and hope to hopefully prevent things like this from happening in the future," shared Bertram.

Campus officials tell KRDO13 UCCS will be open on Wednesday, Jan. 14.

The university is also offering the following services:

Campus Resources

If you or someone you know needs mental health or wellness support, you can connect with resources on campus. Our campus has experienced tragedies of this nature in the past, and this incident might be particularly upsetting to those impacted by past events. We encourage you to reach out.  

• Students: The Wellness Center remains open and ready to assist. Walk-in hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. For appointments, call 719-255-4444. 
• The TELUS Health app continues to be your access to mental health services free of charge, 24/7, available in multiple languages. Please download the app “TELUS Health Student Support.”
• View a list of additional student resources.  
• Faculty and Staff: The Veterans Health and Trauma Center (VHTC) has immediate openings available, free of charge to you. Call (719) 255-8003 to schedule an appointment.  
• View a list of additional faculty and staff resources.  
• Wellness Center case managers to consult about finding resources are on standby to serve the campus community. Please call the Wellness Center at 719-255-4444 if you need to consult about community resources.  

- University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

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