Man sentenced for attacking a Colorado Springs police officer

A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by five years of mandatory parole for assaulting a police officer.

Rickie Darrington was handed the sentence on Wednesday.

Darrington was convicted of assaulting a Colorado Springs police officer in April of 2017.

The attack happened in a parking lot near S. Murray Boulevard and E. Fountain Boulevard in the southeast part of the city. One of the owners of the business, Specialty Sports & Supply, told 11 News a man walked into the store demanding guns and ammo. When the employees told him no, the suspect said he was going outside to get his own gun and come back in. Police were called to the parking lot.

When the officers arrived on scene, the store owner told us the suspect beat one of the officers and stomped on her face. Police gave 11 News updated information soon after the assault that the officer has been released from the hospital, suffering hand and facial injuries.

An anonymous witness talked to 11 News and said he tried to give the injured officer his sweater because she was bleeding so much.

"It really happened so fast that he hit her like 10 times and kicked her at least twice that I saw," the person speaking on anonymity explained. "I was shaking. He hit her hard, and the way he sucker punched her, I mean it was like he was trying to do more than hurt her."

Darrington was sentenced by Judge Debroah Grohs.