BREAKING: Suspect Surrendered: Planned Parenthood Shooting Still Active In Colorado Springs, Colo. (Update 5)

The standoff at Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs has ended with the police taking the suspect alive, though no identification has been made yet. With three confirmed dead, the Colorado Springs PD will likely be investigating the massive scene actively throughout the weekend.

10:17 p.m. EST (8:17 MT): Three are confirmed dead including one officer and two civilians after the standoff that ended with the lone gunman surrendering to the Colorado Springs PD at 6:46 p.m. EST (4:46 MT) at the Planned Parenthood clinic. The officer that died worked with the University of Colorado Colorado Springs police department, according to CBS News.

The Planned Parenthood active shooting situation is still underway. Following is the latest as it’s happening.

7:15 p.m. EST (5:15 MT) Lt. Catherine Buckley stated during a press briefing that the suspect surrendered after a shouting match with officers on the scene, and was arrested alive at 6:52 p.m. (4:52 MT). There is no ID as of yet, and it is still unknown what the suspect brought with him to the clinic aside from the weapon.

The Colorado Springs PD is now investigating the Planned Parenthood clinic as a crime scene, and say it is no longer an active scene.

6:58 p.m. EST (4:58 MT): According to Pete Williams, via MSNBC, law enforcement officials state that the gunman has been captured alive. The gunman walked out of the clinic and surrendered.

6:45 p.m. EST (4:45 MT): According to Trevor Hughes, the Bomb Squad arrived right before press conference, and another truck arrived at 6:46 p.m. EST (4:46 MT).

6:25 p.m. EST (4:25 MT): According to Lt. Catherine Buckley, Colorado Springs PD spokesperson at a press briefing, the shooting did begin at the Planned Parenthood building, outside in the parking lot. The suspect remains inside the building. The CSPD cannot confirm the suspect’s identity yet, however.

We have been in contact with the suspect inside the building and the suspect has fired on our officers inside the building.

It is unknown how many casualties there are, how many hostages there may be, or how many people were evacuated, though Lt. Buckley did say it was “numerous.”

We are still trying to evacuate anyone else inside the Planned Parenthood building.”

Lt. Buckley did confirm however that the suspect brought “items to the building with him,” and some reports say that one of those items is aa propane tank, though this report is unconfirmed. She stresses that it is not yet a stable scene, though the situation has been contained to the Planned Parenthood.

Lt. Buckley said, as a point of clarification, the Sheriff’s office will take over the part of the investigation regarding the “police involved shooting” because of a law passed in Colorado last year.

The next press briefing will be held at 7 p.m. EST (5 MT).

6:00 p.m. EST (4:00 MT): KOAA reports that four of the Penrose Hospital patients are indeed the Colorado Springs PD Officers.

5:54 p.m. EST (3:54 MT): Hillary Clinton tweeted that she stands with Planned Parenthood, and Vicki Cowart, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains, released an official statement:

Our top priority is the safety of our patients and staff. Our hearts go out to everyone involved in this tragic situation. Planned Parenthood has strong security measures in place, works closely with law enforcement agencies, and has a very strong safety record. We don’t yet know the full circumstances and motives behind this criminal action, and we don’t yet know if Planned Parenthood was in fact the target of this attack. We share the concerns of many Americans that extremists are creating a poisonous environment that feeds domestic terrorism in this country. We will never back away from providing care in a safe, supportive environment that millions of people rely on and trust.”

5:45 p.m. EST (3:45 MT): The total number of patients being treated has been updated to nine, according to KOAA via MSNBC, and it is still unknown how many civilians are inside, or where inside of Planned Parenthood the gunman is standing off with Colorado Springs, Colo., SWAT.

5:35 p.m. EST (3:35 MT): Jim Cavanaugh, MSNBC’s Law Enforcement Analyst, confirms the gunman is surrounded still, and that SWAT is on scene. He also states that it is still unknown whether the attack actually started in Planned Parenthood, or if it was a bank heist that went severely wrong.

5:33 p.m. EST (3:33 MT): According to the official Colorado Springs Mayoral Twitter account for Mayor John Suthers, anyone who wants to check in on family and friends should not call 911, but “2-1-1” instead:

5:28 p.m. EST (3:28 MT): Trevor Hughes, reporter from USA Today, on the phone with MSNBC spoke with the brother of a Planned Parenthood patient, and said he heard shots while he was on the phone with his sister, who was at the Colorado Springs, Colo., facility for a basic health care appointment.

Hughes stressed, however, that he, the media, and the CSPD are actually unsure as to whether the shooting began in the clinic, or outside the clinic. Hughes has stated that there are at least 14 ambulances on scene, waiting for the injured to emerge from the standoff.

5: 14 p.m. EST (3:14 MT): Of the eight patients at area hospitals, MSNBC confirms that three patients are being treated at Memorial Hospital and five at Penrose Hospital.

5:10 p.m. EST (3:10 MT): The gunman is surrounded in the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood lobby, and has an AK-47 in hand, in a standoff with police, according to MSNBC.

5:04 p.m. EST (3:04 MT): According to Melissa Keller via a phone call with MSNBC, there was at least 20 or 30 gunshots. The number of patients taken to area hospitals was update to eight from five as well.

5:01 p.m. EST (3:01 MT): Swat is active, and there is one suspect active with a “long gun,” according to MSNBC. Additionally, the number of people being treated at an unnamed area hospital has been updated to five. Earlier reports noted three people being treated. It is still unknown whether these are police officers or not.

4:50 p.m. EST (2:50 MT): KOAA/MSNBC speaking to eyewitness Caren Kesterson on the phone, says her brother-in-law is an active officer of the Colorado Springs PD at the scene, states that there were “two shots to the leg,” of a deputy, and that the gunman was handling “an AK,” as she put it, referring to an AK-47.

As of: 4:35 p.m. EST (2:35 MT): and ABC News notes that a fourth Colorado Springs PD officer has been shot.

The officers were ‘actively searching from building to building and encountered gunfire around 2:30 p.m. local time.'”

Homeland Security’s Lisa Monaco has notified President Obama of the situation, according to MSNBC, and and is monitoring the situation. Just moments prior, an eye witness on the phone with MSNBC said she heard at least 20 shots fired.

Planned Parenthood responded via its official Twitter account at 4:06 p.m. EST (2:06 MT), and notes that PPFA officials are monitoring the shooting situation:

An active shooter situation in Colorado Springs, Colo. is still going on in the area of Planned Parenthood at 3400 Centennial Boulevard, according to media reports. The Colorado Springs Police Department reported via its official Twitter account that three officers have been injured.

The shooting situation began at 11:38 a.m. local time, 1:38 p.m. EST, according to NBC News.

As of 4:15 p.m. EST (2:15 MT): CSPD Twitter account reports active gunfire:

As of 4:06 p.m. EST (2:06 MT): KOAA/MSNBC report shows that a  stretcher containing an officer is currently being loaded onto an ambulance.

At 3:54 p.m. EST (1:54 MT): MSNBC reports that CSPD issued a statement noting that there are, “an unknown number of casualties,” and that they are focused on “preservation of life.” Additionally, MSNBC reports that there are an unknown number of civilian injuries.

As of 3:48 EST (1:48 MT): MSNBC reported that three injured persons were taken to an area hospital, though the hospital spokesperson did not know whether or not the injured were the police officers or not.

As of 3:38 p.m. (1:38 MT): EST, Lt. Catherine Buckley, spokesperson for the Colorado Springs Police Department via KOAA, an MSNBC affiliate, said that contrary to prior reports that noted the shooter was contained, this is not the case.

In fact, stressed Lt. Buckley, the situation is not stable, as police do not know who or where the shooter is, and are actively searching for the suspect.

Lt. Buckley also mentioned that residents who live or work in the areas of Centennial Blvd. just north of Fillmore, and throughout Garden Gods Road should “shelter in place.”

According to ABC News,

Police have asked residents to avoid the area near Centennial Boulevard and West Fillmore Street. They also tweeted that a stretch of Centennial Boulevard, from Garden of Gods Road to Fillmore, has been closed in both directions.

#CentennialBl incident CSPD confirms 3 officers injured unknown civilian injuries situation still not stable. — Springs Police (@CSPDPIO) November 27, 2015

 

Although the some recent communication from the official Colorado Springs PD and media outlets reported the gunman is contained, they state the situation is not yet stable and residents should avoid the area.

This is an evolving situation, and updates will be published as they come in.

Featured Image: Screenshot of KOAA/MSNBC Broadcast Video