Colorado Springs police say they disarmed an apparently suicidal man threatening police with a replica assault rifle early Monday morning using a gun that shot non-lethal ammunition.
The man, whose identity has not been released, was arrested without injury, according to Colorado Springs police records.
Police were called to a home at the 700 block of East Boulder Street at 2:34 a.m. on a report of a suicidal man with a gun.
The man allegedly threatened to shoot the officers or himself. Officers established a perimeter to protect themselves and the man’s neighbors.
A police officer called the suicidal man by phone and tried to persuade him to surrender peacefully. The man said he would shoot himself or force officers to shoot and kill him with his “assault rifle.”
A police officer coaxed the suspect into moving, but the man refused to drop his weapon.
Police than fired a single “non-lethal” shot that struck the man.
The man then dropped his rifle and obeyed orders. He was taken to a local hospital for psychiatric evaluation.
When police examined the gun they realized it was a replica air gun that didn’t have an air gun’s distinguishing orange tip.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206, or
