Law enforcement and first responders stand together after Planned Parenthood tragedy

Just five days ago, a shooter opened fire in Colorado Springs killing three people and injuring nine others.

Police and emergency responders from across Southern Colorado were on scene outside of the Planned Parenthood for hours.

They said the emotions are still raw…even for the police officers and first responders who weren’t there during the rampage.

Fountain Police Officer Joey Barraza said he was sick when he heard the news.

“It’s hard, it really is,” Barraza said. “Your thoughts and prayers are with them that when the calling came, just hoping they were safe and able to go home to their families last night.”

Fountain Police assisted at the scene, but didn’t want to say what it’s involvement was.

Officer Barraza wasn’t one of the officers who responded but he said the entire law enforcement community is feeling the effects of the tragedy.

“Even though there are different agencies, we all work together, we all train together, in one form or another,” he said. “We definitely feel the sorrow they’re going through.”

First responders are also dealing with the grief.

The fire department played a crucial role, sending around 40 firefighters to help out.

“I think we all feel it in our own ways,” Lt. Doug Pape with the Colorado Springs Fire Department said. “When something happens in our community, we feel it because we are apart of the community and it’s stressful not being able to be in control of a situation.”

As all agencies come together to support each other, they said their main priority is still on safety.

“Bottom line, we still have a job to do. We still have to keep people safe so we have to put our feelings aside to make sure the job gets done,” Lt. Pape said.

Departments around Southern Colorado are responding to call outside of their jurisdiction to help aid Colorado Springs.