‘Violated’: Thieves hold Colorado Springs Native American man down, cut his ponytail off

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - Chuck Sullivan says his long hair was everything to him.

“Cutting my hair, it takes a part of me as being Native American. That’s very special to me.”

When thieves attacked him and his fiancee Monday night, they took more than just his wallet --

“One grabs my ponytail and cuts it off,” he told 11 News reporter Julie Martin.

Sullivan is the promotion manager for Twisted Apes Bar and Grill off Platte near Circle. On Monday, he and fiancee Amy stayed to sell bar furniture before leaving for the night.

Surveillance images show two men hiding behind a dumpster while the couple get into their truck.

“We closed up. Walking Amy out to the truck, put her in the truck, and all of a sudden I turn around, there’s two guys rushing me with guns. Telling me to get on the ground.”

Sullivan says he had electronics, a wad of cash, and other valuables on him, but instead of taking those, one suspect held him down while the other cut off his hair.

“The other one yanked my wallet out. ... I had an iPad Pro in my hand, $1,000+ in my pocket; they didn’t do anything and then they ran.”

Sullivan is thankful his fiancee was unharmed -- his main concern in the moment. But he says he feels violated by what the men took from him.

“To take that away from me, it’s very personal. My wallet and all that stuff is replaceable, but my memories off my hair and my tradition and stuff like that -- it’s not.”

As well as being part of his heritage, Sullivan says his hair signified the moment nine years ago when he nearly died in an accident. He had been growing it out ever since.

“To take something I’ve been growing since 2012 ... to take that away from me, it’s very personal.”

Sullivan told Martin police were at the bar all night collecting evidence, including fingerprints from when the suspects tried to break in through a back door earlier in the evening. They are now working on leads. Anyone with information is urged to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at 719-444-7000 or Crime Stoppers at 719-634-STOP. Crime Stoppers tips can be made anonymously.

Sullivan can’t get the hair back. What he wants instead --

“Justice.”

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