Pikes Peak Pop Warner will increase security for events after deadly shooting in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - After one man was killed in a shooting in the parking lot at a Pop Warner football game, the league tells KRDO13 they will be increasing their security for future events. Atlas Schools, where the youth football game was being played, also tell KRDO13 they're working on a new agreement with Pop Warner, based on what took place over the weekend.
The shooting, which let a 29-year-old man dead, took place on Saturday afternoon in the parking lot next to where a Pikes Peak Pop Warner game was being held. The CEO of Atlas Schools explained in a Facebook post that they rented the field space to the league.
Colorado Springs Police saying they're still in search of a suspect responsible for the shooting. Police also say that at this time they have "no reason to believe" the people involved in the shooting are connected to Atlas Schools or the Pop Warner league.
In light of the events, the President of the Pikes Peak Pop Warner, told KRDO13 they will be adding new security measures for their events, such as an off-duty law enforcement officer to monitor activity.
A spokesperson for Atlas Schools told KRDO13 that they were, "working on a new agreement with Pop Warner based on this past weekend's events." and that no decisions had been made at the time, Monday, October 7.
The spokesperson also clarified, given the age of players within the Pop Warner league and those at their middle school, that no students or staff were participating in the football games that afternoon.
KRDO13 was in communication with the President of the Pikes Peak Pop Warner league and arranged an on-camera interview for Sunday, October 6, however calls, texts and messages were left unanswered and the interview did not happen.
Another on-camera interview opportunity was initially presented for 2 p.m. on Monday to discuss their security changes and plans for moving forward, however they ultimately instead issued this updated statement on Monday evening:
Your child's safety remains our top priority. While football is important, the well-being of our children, families, staff, and spectators takes precedence.
We plan to resume play based on feedback from our players' families. To ensure safety, we will have armed off-duty police officers at each field, along with grief counselors available this weekend. We have also coordinated with multiple school districts, which are providing counselors for athletes across their communities.
Resources have been shared with our teams for parents who seek additional support. It’s important to clarify that this unfortunate incident was not related to football, and while it was distressing, we want our athletes to feel secure as they participate in the sport they love.
We will continue to collaborate with Atlas Prep to maintain the highest safety standards moving forward. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Michelle Quintana, President - Pikes Peak Pop Warner
