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El Paso County Sheriff's Office identifies man killed in police shooting following burglary call

Sirens
Posted at 10:28 AM, Dec 16, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-16 12:28:56-05

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A man who was killed when Colorado Springs police responded to a burglary call on Dec. 8 has been identified.

Around 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 8, officers with the Colorado Springs Police Department were dispatched to a burglary in progress along the 1700 block of Herd Street. The officers found a man outside a home who was armed with a weapon, according to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. The police department said the suspect confronted the officers with a knife.

During the interaction, at least one officer fired at the suspect, who was hit at least once, according to the sheriff's office.

The suspect, who was identified on Thursday as Michael Pantoja, 45, died at the scene. He did not have any connection to the residence where the burglary was reported, the sheriff's office said.

The El Paso County Sheriff's Office is the lead investigative agency for this police shooting.