8 officers on leave after deadly police standoff near Astrozon Boulevard

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - An armed man was killed by police after a nearly hour-long stand-off on Dec. 13, according to Colorado Springs police.

On Thursday, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said eight Colorado Springs Police Officers involved in the incident were put on leave.

Springs police say the man called law enforcement, self-reporting that he was suicidal and was outside his home with a gun just before 10 p.m. on Friday. They said deputies with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office responded, but couldn’t find the man, so they issued a “Be On The Lookout” alert to agencies in the area.

Around 11 p.m., Springs police said they got a call about shots fired near Astrozon and S. Academy. When they got there, they said they found a man with a gun in a vehicle in the parking lot in the area. Police and deputies both said the man was reportedly waving the gun around.

CSPD said their officers tried to verbally de-escalate the situation, reportedly trying to negotiate with the man for nearly an hour. But, police said he did not comply and did not drop the gun.

Police reported shots being fired by the man, saying after that happened, an officer tried using a less lethal tool to stop him, which they said was unsuccessful, but police did not specify what this tool was.

That’s when police said the man raised the gun toward them. They said officers then shot the man, with several officers firing at least one shot.

Despite medical aid that was reportedly given to the man on the scene, he died.

Per policy, the officers involved in the shooting are on administrative leave, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting, and CSPD is set to release body camera footage of what happened within the next 21 days.

If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health, help is available 24/7 through the Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

That number is 988, they can help connect you with the help you need.