Police searching for three accused of assault using pots and pans
Mackenzie Stafford
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) is searching for three people they say were involved in an assault early Tuesday morning. Two people are in custody after the fight.
CSPD said it happened near North Academy Boulevard, at The Commons apartment complex. The complex is where police say they got around ten 911 calls just before one o’clock in the morning. CSPD said two groups of people were causing multiple disturbances and hitting each other with kitchen pots and pans.
Homeward Pikes Peak, a non-profit, manages The Commons.
“Homeward Pikes Peak has been working here in the Colorado Springs community for 23 years, providing solutions to people who are experiencing homelessness and recovery services. So we do clinical, mental health and substance abuse treatment, street outreach, and supportive housing,” explained Roalstad.
Their CEO tells KRDO13 The Commons housing for people who have experienced homelessness or are at risk of becoming.
She says this was a one-off issue and that, to her knowledge, it’s the first time there’s been a police response such as Tuesday morning.
“There was a disturbance at the apartment building that we call the Commons, which is a building that provides housing for people who have experienced homelessness or are at risk of housing instability. So we have families and veterans and individual adults who live there. And I understand that the disturbance last night was among a young group of teenagers and some young adults, and it kind of was protracted through the whole evening. It did escalate to the point that the police had to be called multiple times to address some fighting that was happening on the property,” explained Beth Roalstad, CEO of Homeward Pikes Peak.
KRDO13 also spoke with residents of the complex about their experience. Tasha VanDaam said she was in the parking lot looking for her keys when she saw the fighting happen.
“The kids that are in that apartment have been causing problems ever since they got here,” said resident Tasha VanDaam, “These boys were getting on these two girls last night. They hit them with frying pans. They hit them. They were just beating these girls up. And the girls ended up fighting back near the end. And then the girls ended up going to jail and not the boys.”
VanDaam told KRDO13 the fight was going on for hours outside of a room with a newborn baby inside. She said the injuries sustained looked serious.
“The girls got beat up. Yeah, they got knots on their head. Golf ball-sized knots, likely concussions,” recounted VanDaam.
The CEO told KRDO13 it appeared many of the individuals involved were teens, and some were visiting residents of the complex.
“Sometimes kids will be kids, but unfortunately, even violence among youth can get ugly. And I think that’s what happened last night is that it just kind of escalated to the point where many people were involved. And that’s why the police were called,” shared Beth Roalstad, CEO of Homeward Pikes Peak.
While it’s something she says doesn’t happen often, she is grateful for the quick response by law enforcement.
“I do want to commend the CSPD. They had a great response every time my staff member called it was responded to quickly. And certainly they did their job well. And I’m grateful that they came, each and every time,” said Roalstad.
Police say they’re searching for the rest of the people involved, particularly three suspects. They’ve already arrested two of the people they say were involved one of whom was a teen and one was an adult.
While KRDO13 was outside the apartment complex later Tuesday afternoon, CSPD responded to a different incident that they say was not related to the assault. Police told our crews on scene that they were responding to a disturbance where someone was reported to have pulled out a gun, and that a fight broke out. As of Tuesday night, it was unclear if any arrests had been made. KRDO13 is working to get more information regarding the incident.