Court documents detail shooting and stabbing of 65-year-old Colorado Springs man

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - On Monday, April 15, Colorado Springs Police (CSPD) identified the victim of a fatal stabbing as 65-year-old Frank Mason. 32-year-old Alexander Brown is now in the El Paso County Jail and is suspected of killing him.

On Sunday, April 14, CSPD responded to Dundee Place, on the east side of the city, on reports of a stabbing. Police say when they arrived, officers found Mason with multiple stab wounds. Despite attempts to save him, Mason was officially declared dead.

RELATED: Colorado Springs Police arrest man suspected of stabbing his 65-year-old neighbor to death

On Tuesday, April 16, court documents were released that detailed the incident as reported by the Colorado Springs Police Department.

According to the court documents, CSPD received a call for service on the afternoon of the 14th stating that someone at 3615 Dundee Place had been shot or stabbed. The caller reported hearing gunshots and then seeing a Black man leave the scene. When officers arrived, they located Mason, who was suffering from wounds to the neck and arm. He was declared dead at the scene.

Documents state that witnesses observed a Black man come out of Mason's residence and attack him. Some witnesses reported that they recognized the Black man as the resident of a nearby address. They also said they observed him enter that residence after the shooting and that he had not left since.

Court documents show that Mason was found lying on the ground outside of his residence. A detective on scene located a bloody, folding knife in the area. Three unfired bullets were also found around the scene. Multiple surveillance cameras were also posted around the residence.

According to court documents, while detectives were investigating the scene, three people exited the residence where witnesses said they saw the Black man enter. When these were contacted one of them, later identified as Alexander Brown, told an officer, "I came out because he and his family was trying to kill me in 2019, and lyin' on me. I shot him in his arm, then I stabbed him in his throat because he was trying to kill me." Brown was immediately detained and taken to the Police Operations Center (POC)

Once in custody at the POC, Brown was read his Miranda Rights. When asked if he understood them, he replied "Kinda." Court documents state he was then asked if he would like to read the Miranda Rights form and he replied, "I don't know how to read." Detectives then explained to Brown the status of the investigation and he requested an attorney.

According to court documents, a search of law enforcement databases revealed several notes about Brown, including that he was possibly afflicted with mental health conditions that caused paranoia or delusions. The notes also indicated that he had previously made statements about "homicidal ideation," and had thoughts of harming his neighbors, co-workers, and strangers.

The court documents then indicate that detectives received doorbell video from a nearby residence that showed a man appearing to be Brown walk up the driveway of Mason's residence. A single gunshot is then heard in the video. Then a male voice that does not sound like Brown can be heard saying, "What'd you do that for man? Why? Why? The documents state that this voice is presumed to belong to Mason. Then there are sounds of a struggle heard in the video. Then, the man who appears to be Brown is seen walking back down Mason's driveway. It is noted in the documents that a large tree was obstructing the camera's view, and the actual incident itself is not seen on the video.

Documents then state that upon a search of the residence Brown was seen entering and then exiting, a bloody, 9mm handgun was located in a dresser in a bedroom and bullets were found on a table. Brown's brother, Aaron Mitchell then told officers that he had taken the gun from Brown, unloaded it, and put the bullets on the table. The documents also note that multiple, large red stains, presumed to be bloodstains, were seen on the right arm of Brown's sweatshirt. His clothes were collected for evidence.

The documents then state that Brown did not have any observable injuries to suggest that he had been involved in an altercation. He also did not make any comments about being injured or request medical attention. They also noted that no witnesses who were interviewed at the scene could provide a plausible explanation for Brown's actions.

According to the court documents, the video footage reviewed by detectives did not suggest Brown acted in a defensive manner and it was determined that his actions were not consistent with any justification or exemption from criminal responsibility as defined in Colorado Revised Statutes.