A man shot dead while allegedly trying to rob a Colorado Springs liquor store was identified today as 21-year-old Gibran Gayton of Colorado Springs.
Gayton entered Jetway Liquors, 1645 Jetwing Drive, on Tuesday afternoon, displayed a weapon and demanded cash, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department.
At that point, the 74-year-old store owner fired a single shot, striking the suspect in the chest, police said.
The El Paso County Coroner’s Office completed an autopsy on Gayton today and ruled that he died from a gunshot wound to the chest. The manner of death was ruled a “homicide.”
But officials noted that a homicide is defined as the “killing of a person by another” and that not all “homicides” constitute a criminal act.
Colorado Springs Police Lt. Skip Arms said investigators processed the scene last night and recovered two weapons. He said the department’s robbery unit is following up to determine whether Gayton was involved in any other recent robberies in the area.
The name of the store owner is not being released because of his age, which makes him an at-risk adult, police said.
He has not been arrested, and no charges have been considered pending a review by the El Paso district attorney.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
