NewsLocal News

Actions

Pueblo firefighter shot in leg after protecting homeless man from harassers, police say

pueblo car2.png
Posted at 7:16 PM, Jun 08, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-09 14:04:19-04

PUEBLO, Colo. — Police in Pueblo are seeking information about a shooting that left a firefighter wounded. They say a someone in a Buick sedan shot at a group of off-duty firefighters, striking one in the leg, after they came to the aid of a homeless man who was being harassed.

On Tuesday, Pueblo police identified a suspect and issued an arrest warrant. However, police said Wednesday new information ruled out the suspect and the warrant was cleared. The vehicle involved in the shooting was recovered and police are now looking for the owner of the Buick, 41-year-old Tonya Albach-Ortega, according to press release from the Pueblo Police Department.

The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Sunday in the 100 block of N. Main Street in downtown Pueblo. Police said a group of men that had just left a local bar began harassing a homeless man who was apparently experiencing some sort of mental health issue.

Nearby, a group of off-duty firefighters wearing street clothes were outside their union building waiting for a pizza to arrive. They told the group who was harassing the homeless man to leave the individual alone.

The group left the scene, but a short time later, an individual fired several rounds in the victim’s direction from a sedan, a 90s model Buick. The victim was struck once in the leg. The wounded firefighter was transported to the hospital where he is listed in “stable” condition.

Albach-Ortega is described as a 5'1" tall, 178-pound white female with brown hair and hazel eyes.

If you have any information about this incident, including the whereabouts of Albach-Ortega, please call Detective Ryan Torres at (719) 320-6037. To remain anonymous, contact Pueblo Crime Stoppers @ 542-STOP (542-7867) or www.pueblocrimestoppers.com.