Weekend shooting at Colorado Springs’ Memorial Park skatepark continues disturbing trend

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Police said that an unidentified male is in a hospital recovering from surgery after being shot Saturday night at the popular skatepark in Memorial Park, just east of downtown.

According to police, the shooting happened around 9 p.m. at the park, near the corner of Pikes Peak Avenue and Union Boulevard, and investigators were still trying to identify a suspect and determine a motive.

Police also said that the victim's family took him to a hospital.

The park is a popular destination for skateboarders, roller skaters, inline skaters and bicyclists, and also is a common hangout spot for teens and young adults.

The skatepark users who spoke with KRDO NewsChannel 13 at the scene Sunday afternoon said that they hadn't heard about the shooting and weren't present when it happened, but a common refrain was, "Another one?"

A man who said that he was parked in the skateboard parking lot at the time of the shooting, explained that he heard one gunshot, then saw someone drive away in a pickup truck and fire a second shot in the air.

"I wish I had gotten a license plate number but the lights were off out here and it was dark," he said, declining to speak on camera.

A sign at the park lists the closing time at 10 p.m. during the summer season but people often remain there after hours.

A shooting last November at the skatepark killed a young adult man and his juvenile male cousin, and seriously wounded another teen male cousin; that crime has yet to be solved, despite the offer of a $10,000 reward for information.

There also were shootings at or near the skatepark in March 2021 and July 2017.

Riley Burgess, regularly skates at the park and also lives in the adjacent neighborhood.

"It's unfortunate because (shootings) happen here pretty often," he said. "But we still keep coming. I don't know who the people are who keep doing this, but most of us here are just trying to skate. The victims in November, they were well-known in the skating community and weren't part of a gang or anything like that. As for the neighborhood, people aren't really talking about it because, sadly, they're used to it."

Kirk Patterson visited the skatepark Sunday with his eight-year-old daughter, Olivia.

"I brought her out here to watch the kids skate because she's just getting into it," he said. "I'd like to see more police patrols. I think a lot of parents are concerned about safety. I want kids to enjoy the park without all of the violence. I'd probably still let my daughter come but I'd be with her to supervise."

Patterson also said that having more parental supervision might reduce the number of shootings, and on Sunday there appeared to be more parents with their kids at the skatepark.