Author: KRDO

Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Colorado Springs Police are searching for a person who shot at a home multiple times. On Tuesday morning, just before 3 a.m., someone drove by a home on Willamette Avenue and fired shots. The house and windows were hit by the gunfire, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD).

CSPD said the suspect then drove back by the house and fired again. This time, a man came out of the house and shot back at the suspect car. There were kids in the home, but luckily, no one was injured, CSPD said.

RELATED: Colorado Springs drive-by shooter hits home with children inside

KRDO13 spoke with the man who fired back at the suspect. He asked to leave his name out of our reporting for fear of retribution.

“I heard the first 2 or 3 shots. I grabbed my firearm and ran out the side door. I didn’t see anybody the first time, so I went back inside to make sure everybody was okay,” shared the man.

The man told KRDO13 he had his young son and wife in the home. He said he was focused on protecting his family despite his disbelief that the shooting was happening. Then, the shooter returned.

“As soon as I came outside, there were more gunshots being shot off. So I fired off my shots to keep them away,” explained the man who returned gunfire.

He tells KRDO13 he does not know who could have done this, but he hopes they do not return.

“Whoever did do it, if you come back around again, there’s a surprise waiting for you,” shared the man.

Colorado Springs police say it’s too early in their investigation to tell if it was a targeted attack. However, the department said they are actively investigating and working to develop suspect information.

Another neighbor told KRDO13 that they saw a large law enforcement response in the middle of the night.

“I looked out and I saw a police van with lights, which I usually never see, a police van. And then two police cars,” explained neighbor Beth Pettit-Willis.

She says she loves the Knob Hill area and that there are a lot of lovely people in the neighborhood, but she’s sad that this is happening.

“It can happen to anyone and anywhere. So it doesn’t surprise me. You know, it’s just sad. It’s sad that somebody would do that as a means of entertainment or relief or frustration. I’m not sure why you would do such a thing, but anyway, I’m just sad that it happened,” shared Pettit-Willis.

Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – High school students working out of the St. Vrain Innovation Center built, coded and coordinated a light show with 300 drones above the Broadmoor Lake for some of the brightest space minds across the world.

“To see high school students be able to take hundreds of drones and actually make it look professional, this was kind of like an olympic opening ceremony,” said the CEO of a Colorado Springs-based company, Auria Space, Damian DiPippa.

The St. Vrain Innovation Center is part of the St. Vrain Valley school district in Longmont, Colorado. A team of 10 or so students performed the drone show with the help of their teacher.

The show illuminated moving scenes like the first moon walk and a rocket launch.

The symposium kicks off around 9 a.m. Tuesday. It ends Thursday after three days of networking and sharing between scientists, engineers and business people representing over 60 countries in the most cutting edge technology in the commercial and government space industry.

On Thursday, the Space Foundation will welcome students from Colorado schools to experience the Space Symposium. It’s a unique opportunity for the students, as the typical entry fee is over $3000.

Scott Harrison

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) — As many as five streets will be repaved or resurfaced in projects scheduled for this spring and summer, officials announced this week.

A target for much of the work is Fountain Mesa Road, where two half-mile segments will receive attention from crews: On the north end, between Cross Creek Drive and C & S Road; and on the south end, between Harvest Moon Drive and Ohio Avenue.

Fountain Mesa is a key street in town because it covers most of Fountain from north to south; it’s busy at the north end of the project segment because it’s near many restaurants, shopping areas and other businesses but the rest of the street passes through residential areas.

Many drivers are familiar with the north end of the project segment because of the constant ‘thumping” of traffic over cracks in the pavement; so, the asphalt repaving there will provide smoother — and quieter — driving.

The other segment of Fountain Mesa — from Harvest Moon Drive to Ohio Avenue — will be chip-sealed.

“I mean, it’s Colorado,” said homeowner Walter Callaway. “The roads crack. They fill them with tar. They’re going to pave the new roads, and then they’re going to fill them with tar in two years because they’ll crack again.”

James Anderson, another homeowner, is more excited.

“It’s nice to have them repaved, if they’re going to do it,” he said. “Some other areas, I think, could use it a little bit more, though.”

Crews also will place new asphalt on Camden Boulevard, around a third of a mile north of the Walmart to where the street ends on the north side of town.

Finally, chip-sealing work will come to Jimmy Camp Road, covering three-quarters of a mile around Fountain-Fort Carson High School at the south end of Fountain.

“Every time winter is done, you have these big, large potholes,” said Lionel Bascombe. “So, if you can get those taken care of, it will be really nice for our neighborhood.”

Officials have yet to release the construction schedule for those projects.

In November 2023, Fountain voters rejected a proposal to join the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority — an organization of six municipalities that levies a 1% sales tax for transportation projects — and town leaders said that they would increase their budget allocation to street improvements through 2027.

Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Theatreworks will announce its productions for its 50th anniversary season on Monday after half a century putting on plays in Southern Colorado.

It’s really unusual for a regional theatre to have a 50 year run,” Theatreworks Interim Director David Dahlin said.

Theatreworks is a professional production company that works out of the ENT Center for the Arts at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. While bringing timeless classics and modern renditions to the residents of Colorado Springs, Theatreworks has also become a consistent employer of local professionals, as well as college acting students training to break into the industry.

“Part of the mission of theatreworks is to provide opportunities for local artists, whether it be an actor, or a director or a designer of some sort, to use their craft here,” Dahlin said. “Otherwise, they’ll go off to New York, or Los Angeles or Chicago, and we actually want to keep talent, and grow talent here.”

“Being able to take those educational leaps through Theatreworks productions and Theatreworks classes with directors who would offer insight, it gives their openness. They give their hand to the next generation of artists. Not to be cheesy, but here we are, “Theatreworks actor Sean Ahmed Sharif said, who has acted in the production’s plays since as a student in 2016.

Theatreworks will announce the productions at its 50th season anniversary party Monday at 7 p.m. Anyone can attend with a free RSVP.

Tune in to Good Morning Colorado to watch KRDO13’s Bradley Davis speak with a longtime Theatreworks actor about the impressive milestone.

Julia Donovan

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – It’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) is hoping to make headway on some concerning statistics involving the matter locally.

CSPD has started a phone drive as a way to help sexual assault victims who so often are in domestic violence situations.

The process is as simple as taking your old, banged-up phone and dropping it off in the lobby of the Police Operations Center or any of the police substations across Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs Police Operations Center – 705 S. Nevada Ave.Gold Hill Substation – 955 W. Morena Ave.Falcon Substation – 7850 Goddard St.Stetson Hills Substation – 4100 Tutt Blvd.Sand Creek Substation – 950 Academy Park Lp.

Organizers say that simple act could help save lives.

According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, the number of sexual assault and domestic violence cases hasn’t gone down over the last several years. 

Officers told KRDO these numbers are part of the reason why they decided to do the phone drive.

Advocates for victims at the organization TESSA say, since technology is such a big part of our lives nowadays, it’s no surprise that offenders are using it to their advantage. 

“Their phones are being tracked and so one of the biggest pieces we have to definitely safety plan around is making sure they have a safe and secure device that they can still use for that access of resources and support that the offender is not aware of,” TESSA safe house manager, Bri Bebow, explained in an interview with KRDO Wednesday.

CSPD will reset the phone and make sure to delete all your personal information, or you can do that part yourself if that makes you feel more comfortable.

CSPD said the “Phone it Forward” campaign accepts all types of cell phones.

The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office is spearheading a similar drive.

Mackenzie Stafford

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO)- A letter sent to the Governor and other lawmakers in the state capitol was obtained by KRDO13. The letter was sent by the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), calling for action at our state legislature.

The CACP claims that years of legislation and policy decisions have slowly eroded public safety in the state. KRDO13 sat down with the Pueblo Chief of Police, Chris Noeller, to hear his calls that are amplified in the letter.

Part of what sparked the drafting of the letter was a shootout between Pueblo Police Officers and a self-admitted gang member, Billy Soto. Three officers were shot, and Soto was shot dead.

Chief Noeller tells KRDO13 that he hopes the injuries his officers suffered on that day are not in vain. He says he hopes this can be the positive change that he says their department and others across the country need. 

In a letter sent by the CACP, it details how the first officer who was responding to arrest Billy Soto, who was wanted on attempted murder charges, was sitting in his police car when he was ambushed. 

In that rain of gunfire, that officer was shot in the head. Another officer also suffered a gunshot wound to the head. The Pueblo Police Department (PPD) confirmed to KRDO13 that both of those officers have been released from the hospital and are recovering, but the third officer, who also suffered serious injuries, is still in the hospital recovering as of Wednesday night. 

Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller says soft-on-crime legislation is to blame for Soto, a repeat offender, being on the street.

“I said that the blood of my officers is on the steps of the capitol, and I mean it,” reinforced Noeller.

The police chief says it’s a miracle they’re alive. 

“I believe that this was a miracle, that God was at play here because a quarter inch, one way or the other, we’re talking about three dead cops for all three of them, and that’s how serious this assault was,” explained Chief Noeller.

Colorado police chiefs are now calling for change at our state legislature to hold criminals accountable. 

“They [state lawmakers] need to listen. I hope the citizens listen because I think they need to demand better. As a citizen of this state, I think I have the right to demand better. And I hope our governor listens. I know he’s got a plan, too. His goal is to make us one of the top ten safest cities in the country. I support that goal. My cops and I want to help him attain that goal, but we need help from the legislators to make that happen. We need them to look at the laws and give us teeth back into our criminal justice system and hold criminals accountable,” said Pueblo Police Chief Noeller.

We also asked the Colorado Springs Police Department about the letter, and the Chief of Police says they’re in full support.

“I stand in full support and applaud the remarks made by Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller. Chief Noeller’s comments highlight the importance of the letter submitted to Governor Polis and to our state legislators by the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police. In recent years, legislative changes out of the Capitol have significantly limited law enforcement’s ability to hold prolific and violent repeat offenders accountable for serious crimes. These restrictions have impactful and ongoing consequences. The bottom line – poor legislation has made our city streets a more dangerous place for our citizens and officers, who are committed to doing whatever they are called to do to protect the Colorado Springs community every day. We need to provide officers with tools to make our cities safer, rather than provide a safe haven for prolific criminal offenders.”

– Adrian Vasquez, Chief of Police, Colorado Springs Police Department

You can read the full letter sent by CACP here:

An Urgent Appeal to Governor Polis and Colorado Legislative Leadership (final)Download

KRDO13 also reached out to House Minority Leader Pugliese, who represents El Paso County, for her thoughts on the letter. She shared this statement:

“I stand with the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police in their urgent call to address the public safety crisis facing our state. House Republicans have consistently pushed for tougher penalties and greater accountability for repeat offenders but too often the Democrats have prioritized the rights of criminals over victims, and progressive ideology over common sense. It is high time for our Democratic colleagues to join us in making public safety a bipartisan priority and pass laws that truly protect the people of Colorado.”

– Minority Leader Rose Pugliese

KRDO13 also reached out to Governor Polis for his response to the letter. A spokesperson shared this statement:

“Governor Polis appreciates the police chiefs in supporting his vision to make Colorado safer, which is what the Governor has been working to do, and agrees with the points they make and is grateful for their advocacy. He and the chiefs are in alignment on proactive legislation this year, and Governor Polis has fought for and signed laws to provide more funding to local law enforcement, invest in proven crime prevention programs, crack down on auto theft and illegal firearm activity to help local law enforcement and make our communities safer. That’s why we’ve seen crime decrease in almost every category between 2023-2024, including a 15% decrease in property crime, a 9% reduction in homicides, and a 26% decrease in auto theft. The Governor looks forward to partnering with law enforcement to advance our shared legislative public safety priorities, including passing a bill to address gun theft and making motor vehicle theft a more serious offense while wielding the veto if and when necessary. The Governor wants to continue building on this success and make Colorado even safer for all.”

– Eric Maruyama, a spokesperson for Governor Polis’s office

KRDO13 did reach out to Speaker Julie McCluskie for her response. This article will be updated with that information once received.

Scott Harrison

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) $114 million construction project has transformed the east side of the interchange at Interstate 25 and US 50 East and is being closely watched by many longtime residents.

“I’m liking what I’m seeing,” said James Tafoya, a Pueblo native. “I haven’t noticed any traffic impacts. Everything has been smooth. I was worried about that, as first.”

Hurley Sammon, another lifelong Puebloan, agrees.

“I was excited, I really was,” he recalled about the start of the project. “It’s about time. (The infrastructure) is old, you know? We need something new, something better. Something to get traffic moving, you know?”

Among five bridges CDOT will build, two will replace poor-rated bridges across Fountain Creek, the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and I-25; the latter has been damaged by collisions from semi trucks.

The support structure for one of the bridges is clearly visible, as work continues since groundbreaking last November; CDOT officially announced the project a month earlier, after securing federal funding.

Other project objectives include repaving I-25 through the interchange with concrete; improving drainage and erosion control; building a sound wall to protect neighbors west of the freeway; create a new connection to the Fountain Creek Trail; and shift the interchange slightly north of its current location.

Some family members said they used walking their dog along the trail Wednesday as an opportunity to see the construction for the first time.

“The project is moving along very nicely,” said Scott Dalton, CDOT’s project manager. “We’re approximately 10% complete at this time. Traffic will continue to use the current bridges for another year or so. We’ll continue to watch them.”

The rebuilt interchange also will bring the Steel City and Home of Heroes its first diverging diamond interchange — a traffic pattern similar to what exists at the I-25/Fillmore Street and Powers Boulevard/Research Parkway bridges in Colorado Springs.

Some residents expressed concerns about the project.

“I can think of better things that need to be done,” said Beverly Rosales. “So, am I in favor of it? Not really. I think it’s a waste of our money.”

Janet Ortiz owns the Emergi-Medical Care Center on te east side of the project.

“I’m not really sure what it’s going to do to the property value, either — because this freeway traffic is going to run right alongside our building,” she said. “So, we’ll just have to wait and see how it’s all going to pan out.”

Some neighbors said that another project benefit was clearing out homeless camps and activity along the creek.

“I knew that there were homeless people down there, but not as many as I saw coming out of there,” one neighbor said.

CDOT expects to finish the project by summer 2027.

Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – As pickleball continues to grow in popularity in the United States, more people are taking part that might not be who you’d initially expect.

A Colorado Springs pickleball regular spoke with KRDO13 on why he decided to try and go pro in America’s fastest-growing sport after his career in the NFL.

“If you’re looking to stay competitive and to get that competitive edge back, then I recommend getting out here and playing some pickleball because there’s nothing better than pickleball right now. Best sport alive right now,” said Jeret Smith, who played in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs.

Pickleball has been the fastest-growing sport in the United States for the last three years, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Smith recently decided he will pursue the sport as his full-time job.

“It’s been incredible to see the ride pickleball has taken us all on,” Life Time Pickleball pro Mike McGregor said.

Smith plays all over the front range, including the Life Time in Colorado Springs with McGregor. The club is hoping to get the most people playing pickleball at the same time ever this Saturday for National Pickleball Month.

The sport has come a long way the last five years, both in the states as well as for Smith.

“I wanted to just play something that I could stay competitive in, and first I was like, ‘Oh, this is just a sport for older people,'” Smith said. “They beat me bad! And so, for me, I’m an athlete, and I’m losing to 70-year-old people, and I was like, ‘I’ve got to get better at this sport.'”

The Life Time in Colorado Springs is hosting its Pickleball “Agassi Open Play Day” Saturday at 10 a.m. Participants must sign up through their app. The club will have day passes available for non-members. The club is also hosting a tournament, “Dinco De Mayo,” May 16-18.

Julia Donovan

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – We’re at that point in the season where a lot of us are anxious to get some color out in the yard, especially with a super warm weekend ahead. But experts say you have to be careful about how and what you plant right now since another cold snap isn’t out of the question.

“Dahlias, and we have some impatiens and petunias,” Susan Spencer, co-owner of Spencer’s Produce, Lawn and Garden Centers in Colorado Springs, listed.

Yes, the flowers can be as impatient as they want. But, Susan says YOU need to hold your horses when it comes to those guys.

Spencer’s has been at it for a while (like, since the 1930s) – so, yes, Susan knows what’s up.

“It’s just not time,” she told KRDO. “We need not only warm days but warm nights as well.”

No, don’t start crying (although we could use the moisture). There’s still plenty you can do this weekend!

“Things you could plant right now would be columbine, shasta daisies, beebalm, some yarrow,” Susan listed.

Susan also told KRDO that perennials (those plants that return year after year) get the green light this weekend – as well as other resilient species.

 “Trees and shrubs that have already been hardened off – which means they have been either grown outside, or you’ve conditioned them to be outside at night,” Susan explained.

If you don’t have much of a green thumb and you’re still really nervous you’re going to blunder, work on the soil and worry about planting after Mother’s Day. The dirt is almost as tricky as the weather around here.

“It is clay in a lot of areas or sand,” Susan told us. “You can add compost, raise your soil level, do whatever you need to do to get that soil ready. That’s probably the most important thing to get done.”

When in doubt, we’re told the best bet is to just put your flowers in a pot so you can take them inside if it gets too cold.