Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Man Arrested After Fatal Shooting in Rural Colorado

DENVER (AP) — A man was apprehended on Tuesday following a day-long manhunt after he allegedly shot and killed three individuals and critically injured another in a long-standing property dispute over the use of an easement on the suspect’s rural Colorado property, according to authorities.

The suspect, identified as Hanme K. Clark, 45, was arrested by New Mexico State police, the Custer County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado announced on Tuesday afternoon. Additional details about the arrest were not immediately disclosed.

The shooting occurred on Monday afternoon on the property of one of the victims, just a week after a local landowner requested that Clark be held in contempt of a court order issued in June 2022. The court order allowed the landowner and others to cross Clark’s property to access their land, located in the southern part of the state approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Colorado Springs.

Prior to the shooting, Clark had been accused of locking a gate and posting a sign near the entrance, stating “the owner of this property is armed,” according to Kevin Flesch, an attorney representing one of the defendants who lost easement access.

Easements are legal rights that grant individuals permission to cross someone else’s land, typically used to access their own property. In rural communities like this one, easements often play a crucial role.

The victims have been identified as Rob Geers, Beth Wade, and James Daulton, as confirmed by the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. A fourth victim, Patty Daulton, is currently receiving treatment at a trauma center.

Sheriff Lloyd Rich Smith stated that all the victims were involved in property disputes with Clark, although their names were not mentioned in the suspect’s 2020 lawsuit or recent contempt of court filings.

Smith emphasized that while the property dispute had brought sheriff’s deputies to the property multiple times in recent years, there were no indications of potential violence.

Furthermore, it was revealed that Clark was a co-owner of a business named Herbal Gardens Wellness, which focuses on promoting health and well-being through herbal remedies.

Shooting Details and Manhunt

The shooting took place along the property line in a wooded area on Monday afternoon, prompting law enforcement officials to respond to Rocky Ridge Road, approximately 8 miles (13 kilometers) from Westcliffe, the county seat.

At the scene, two men and a woman were pronounced dead, while a fourth individual was airlifted to a trauma center in critical condition. However, the injured person is expected to survive, according to the sheriff’s office. The identities of the victims have not been released.

One eyewitness managed to flee to safety after witnessing the shooting, providing crucial information to law enforcement officers.

In the aftermath of the incident, authorities conducted an extensive search of the surrounding woods and nearby buildings using night vision equipment. They continued their search even after receiving reports that Clark’s truck had been spotted 58 miles away, ensuring that he was no longer in the vicinity of the shooting.

However, subsequent investigations suggested that Clark had already left the area prior to the arrival of law enforcement officials.

Residents in a section of Chaffee County were instructed to shelter in place after surveillance cameras captured Clark’s truck at a Walmart in Salida, approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Westcliffe. The truck later departed and headed towards a nearby residential area. Following an overnight search involving drones, a Denver police helicopter, and officers on the ground, the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office announced on Tuesday that they believe Clark has likely left the area, lifting the shelter-in-place order.

A lawyer who represented Clark in the property access lawsuit did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The property dispute centered around an easement that granted several individuals access to their respective properties through land owned by Herbal Gardens Wellness, as stated in Clark’s lawsuit. In June 2022, the court resolved the dispute by granting several area landowners access to their properties through Clark’s land, according to Flesch.

Other Recent Mass Shootings

This incident is one of several mass shootings that have occurred across the country in recent days.

On Monday night, four individuals were wounded when a gunman opened fire in a Walmart in Beavercreek, Ohio, before apparently taking his own life, according to police reports.

Moreover, on Sunday, a Tennessee man died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a series of shootings that resulted in the deaths of four female relatives. Mavis Christian Jr., 52, was found dead in his vehicle during a search conducted following the shootings at three different locations in Memphis. The Memphis Police Department confirmed the deaths of three women and a teenage girl, with another teenage girl critically injured.

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This article was written by Colleen Slevin and Amy Beth Hanson and was originally published by The Associated Press.

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