2 deputies injured during standoff in Pueblo West, suspect in custody
PUEBLO WEST, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office says two of its deputies are recovering after a standoff on Friday afternoon in Pueblo West. The suspect is now in custody.
Officials say deputies first tried to contact the suspect on Friday morning in the 1000 block of Tenderfoot Lane. The suspect, who was previously known to law enforcement, had been making threats against the Tennessee State Patrol and the capitol building in Tennessee.
The sheriff's office says authorities in Tennessee asked Pueblo deputies to check on the suspect. After no response during the first attempt, a sergeant and a deputy went out a second time around 3:20 p.m. to contact the individual.
When they arrived, deputies say they were immediately under fire and suffered some injuries. One of the deputies was shot in the head and the other was shot in the left shoulder. Both deputies are expected to make a full recovery.
The sheriff's office said the deputies are 30-year-old Deputy Berumen and 40-year-old Sgt. Rude.
The SWAT unit was called because officials were not sure if there were more people in the house. Deputies fired one round of a non-lethal weapon and were able to neutralize the suspect, taking him into custody with no injuries.
A spokesperson for PCSO said the suspect had never been known to act violently against deputies. The suspect has a history of mental illness and alcohol may have contributed to this violent encounter, according to the sheriff's office.
Deputies say the suspect, Eddie Lovins, is a veteran and believed to be knowledgeable about explosives. According to the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, detectives worked into the early morning hours Saturday, executing a search warrant at the home. But, no improvised explosives devices or similar items were found.
Nearby residents were told Friday to shelter in place as the bomb squad investigated the suspect's claims that his home was "wired."
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office shared the search results with Tennessee law enforcement, which expects to file charges of their own related to the threats.
