Suspect in 2015 Colorado Clinic Shooting Dies in Custody
A suspect linked to a deadly shooting at a family planning clinic in Colorado back in 2015 has passed away while in federal custody, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The individual, Robert Dear, aged 67, died on Saturday from natural causes at the Federal Prisoner Medical Center located in Springfield, Missouri.
Dear had faced legal issues since being indicted in federal court in 2019. He was entangled in a complex case regarding the legality of forcibly administering medication to treat his delusional disorder. Throughout the proceedings, he had often been deemed incompetent to stand trial, which stalled any prosecution connected to the shooting incident in Colorado Springs.
Reportedly, on November 27, 2015, Dear arrived at the clinic intending to carry out a violent attack due to the services it offered, particularly abortion. He was armed with multiple weapons, including four rifles, several handguns, a shotgun, and over 500 rounds of ammunition, as noted by the Justice Department back in 2019.
During the tragic event, Dear first opened fire on individuals parked near his vehicle, resulting in one death and serious injuries to two others. Following this, he targeted additional victims outside the clinic, killing one more and wounding another individual.
Dear then entered the clinic, initiating a standoff with law enforcement that lasted approximately five hours. This confrontation involved multiple agencies, including the Colorado Springs Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. Tragically, during this standoff, an officer was killed, and four others were injured as Dear continued to fire.
Two of the victims, Keal Stewart, a veteran and father, and Jennifer Malkowski, a mother of two, were at the clinic when they were shot. Additionally, Garrett Swaysey, a campus police officer, responded to the situation but lost his life as well. In total, nine individuals were injured during the attack.
Michael J. Allen, the District Attorney for the 4th Judicial District, mentioned that Dear had recently submitted civil charges against the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which had complicated efforts to prosecute him in state court.
Allen expressed a sense of urgency regarding justice for the victims and the community, stating, “All three victims and this community deserve full justice in this case, and that possibility is currently being denied.”
