Details leading up to COS officer-involved shooting released
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office released on Wednesday additional details on the several hour standoff and officer- involved shooting from September 16.
Christopher Liles was wanted for several burglaries in the Palmer lake area. The investigation into the burglaries led law enforcement to serve a search warrant at a home located in the 5000 Block of Whip Trail at around 12:30 p.m.
Liles ran from police, driving off in a stolen vehicle. He led officers on a pursuit and eventually crashed the vehicle just south of the intersection of Constitution and Murray.
Madison and Wilson Elementary Schools and Mitchell High School were all placed on precautionary lockdowns. Students who walk home from Madison were kept at the school until their parents picked them up.
Officials had lost the location of Liles until a 911 call came in around 4:23 p.m. from a man living off Lazy R Trail stating that someone was trying to break into his garage. A second call came in from a woman in that area claiming that she was in danger and couldn’t speak on the phone.
Police and deputies went to the woman’s home, and as they were searching for Liles, he attempted to drive away in a stolen vehicle and crashed into the garage. An officer, later identified as 36-year-old Jacob Skifstad, then shot Liles to prevent additional escape attempts.
Liles was taken to a local hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. He is being charged with Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft, 2nd Degree Burglary, and 58 counts of Possession of a Forged Instrument. Additional charges related to the officer-involved shooting are pending.
No officers or deputies were injured during this investigation. Officer Skifstad is currently on routine administrative leave until the investigation is complete. He has been employed by the Colorado Springs Police Department since January of 2004 and is currently assigned to the Falcon Division.
