Three dead, including officer, in Colorado Springs shooting

UPDATE: Police say three people died in a shooting at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs, Colo., today. The dead include two civilians and a University of Colorado Colorado Springs police officer who responded to the scene to help the city police. Mayor John Suthers said the community “mourns the loss of a very brave police officer.”

Nine other people are hospitalized in good condition, police said.

UPDATE (8 p.m.): Police have apprehended a suspect in a shooting that ended with an hourslong standoff in a Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs, Colo. At least 11 wounded people, including five police officers, were taken to hospitals, police Lt. Catherine Buckley said.

The shooting was reported just before noon. More than two hours later, the gunman shot and injured a fourth officer in another exchange with police inside the facility. Authorities are now working to clear the building and determine if anyone else is left inside. The gunman had unspecified items with him during the attack that police were also investigating.

The shooter’s motive remains unknown, and police haven’t identified the suspect nor whether he had any connection to Planned Parenthood.

“We don’t have any information on this individual’s mentality, or his ideas or ideology,” Buckley said.

OUR EARLIER STORY (5:27 p.m.): Police are hunting for a man who shot four police officers and several civilians in a busy commercial area in Colorado Springs, Colo., this afternoon. Despite initial reports that the shooter was contained, police now say he remains at large and may be holed up in a building housing a Planned Parenthood facility.

A woman at a nearby hair salon reported hearing as many as 20 shots in less than five minutes. Police took to Twitter to warn people to stay inside.

In addition to a the Planned Parenthood facility and the hair salon, the area includes medical offices, a grocery store, a bank, a restaurant, and retail stores. The motive for the shooting is not clear, but pro-life groups were quick to condemn the attack.

“Although we don’t know the reasons for the shooting near the Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs today, the pro-life movement is praying for the safety of all involved and as a movement we have always unequivocally condemned all forms of violence at abortion clinics,” said Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, based in Washington, D.C. “We must continually as a nation stand against violence on all levels.”

Police in Colorado Springs responded to another shooting less than a month ago, when a man killed three people while walking down the street.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.