2 Pueblo Police officers were shot in the head in shootout with repeat offender
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO)- A letter sent to the Governor and other lawmakers in the state capitol was obtained by KRDO13. The letter was sent by the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), calling for action at our state legislature.
The CACP claims that years of legislation and policy decisions have slowly eroded public safety in the state. KRDO13 sat down with the Pueblo Chief of Police, Chris Noeller, to hear his calls that are amplified in the letter.
Part of what sparked the drafting of the letter was a shootout between Pueblo Police Officers and a self-admitted gang member, Billy Soto. Three officers were shot, and Soto was shot dead.
Chief Noeller tells KRDO13 that he hopes the injuries his officers suffered on that day are not in vain. He says he hopes this can be the positive change that he says their department and others across the country need.
In a letter sent by the CACP, it details how the first officer who was responding to arrest Billy Soto, who was wanted on attempted murder charges, was sitting in his police car when he was ambushed.
In that rain of gunfire, that officer was shot in the head. Another officer also suffered a gunshot wound to the head. The Pueblo Police Department (PPD) confirmed to KRDO13 that both of those officers have been released from the hospital and are recovering, but the third officer, who also suffered serious injuries, is still in the hospital recovering as of Wednesday night.
Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller says soft-on-crime legislation is to blame for Soto, a repeat offender, being on the street.
"I said that the blood of my officers is on the steps of the capitol, and I mean it," reinforced Noeller.
The police chief says it's a miracle they're alive.
"I believe that this was a miracle, that God was at play here because a quarter inch, one way or the other, we're talking about three dead cops for all three of them, and that's how serious this assault was," explained Chief Noeller.
Colorado police chiefs are now calling for change at our state legislature to hold criminals accountable.
"They [state lawmakers] need to listen. I hope the citizens listen because I think they need to demand better. As a citizen of this state, I think I have the right to demand better. And I hope our governor listens. I know he's got a plan, too. His goal is to make us one of the top ten safest cities in the country. I support that goal. My cops and I want to help him attain that goal, but we need help from the legislators to make that happen. We need them to look at the laws and give us teeth back into our criminal justice system and hold criminals accountable," said Pueblo Police Chief Noeller.
We also asked the Colorado Springs Police Department about the letter, and the Chief of Police says they're in full support.
“I stand in full support and applaud the remarks made by Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller. Chief Noeller’s comments highlight the importance of the letter submitted to Governor Polis and to our state legislators by the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police. In recent years, legislative changes out of the Capitol have significantly limited law enforcement’s ability to hold prolific and violent repeat offenders accountable for serious crimes. These restrictions have impactful and ongoing consequences. The bottom line - poor legislation has made our city streets a more dangerous place for our citizens and officers, who are committed to doing whatever they are called to do to protect the Colorado Springs community every day. We need to provide officers with tools to make our cities safer, rather than provide a safe haven for prolific criminal offenders."
– Adrian Vasquez, Chief of Police, Colorado Springs Police Department
You can read the full letter sent by CACP here:
KRDO13 also reached out to House Minority Leader Pugliese, who represents El Paso County, for her thoughts on the letter. She shared this statement:
“I stand with the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police in their urgent call to address the public safety crisis facing our state. House Republicans have consistently pushed for tougher penalties and greater accountability for repeat offenders but too often the Democrats have prioritized the rights of criminals over victims, and progressive ideology over common sense. It is high time for our Democratic colleagues to join us in making public safety a bipartisan priority and pass laws that truly protect the people of Colorado.”
– Minority Leader Rose Pugliese
KRDO13 also reached out to Governor Polis for his response to the letter. A spokesperson shared this statement:
“Governor Polis appreciates the police chiefs in supporting his vision to make Colorado safer, which is what the Governor has been working to do, and agrees with the points they make and is grateful for their advocacy. He and the chiefs are in alignment on proactive legislation this year, and Governor Polis has fought for and signed laws to provide more funding to local law enforcement, invest in proven crime prevention programs, crack down on auto theft and illegal firearm activity to help local law enforcement and make our communities safer. That’s why we’ve seen crime decrease in almost every category between 2023-2024, including a 15% decrease in property crime, a 9% reduction in homicides, and a 26% decrease in auto theft. The Governor looks forward to partnering with law enforcement to advance our shared legislative public safety priorities, including passing a bill to address gun theft and making motor vehicle theft a more serious offense while wielding the veto if and when necessary. The Governor wants to continue building on this success and make Colorado even safer for all.”
- Eric Maruyama, a spokesperson for Governor Polis's office
KRDO13 did reach out to Speaker Julie McCluskie for her response. This article will be updated with that information once received.
