Cold weather appeared to play role in 4 Colorado Springs deaths last week

Zachary Dupont And O'Dell Isaac, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Updated ·2 min read

Dec. 27—Last week's arctic blast appears to be responsible for at least four deaths in Colorado Springs, including that of a 23-year-old college student, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department.

Katelin Anderson, a recent Pikes Peak State College graduate who had been accepted into Colorado School of Mines' engineering program, was found Thursday in a parking lot in the 5500 block of Academy. The El Paso County Coroner's Office has not yet made an official determination as to how Anderson died, but Colorado Springs police said she was not dressed for the extreme cold and did not have any injuries to suggest foul play.

"Our family has suffered a huge loss far greater than we could have ever expected," Anderson's mother, Dana, posted on social media. "Our bright and shining star...has gained her wings at the young age of 23."

A 42-year-old man was found dead just before 3 p.m. on Dec. 22 in the 3600 block of The Citadel mall, police spokesperson Robert Tornabene said. The man's positioning at the scene indicated he was trying to warm himself, and snow accumulation on his possessions led police to believe he had been there for some time.

At around the same time, a 40-year-old man was found in the 500 block of Arrawanna Street west of The Citadel mall. The 40-year-old was taken to a hospital, where he later died, Tornabene said.

A 69-year-old woman was found dead Dec. 23 at the Park and Ride lot on South Nevada Street under the Interstate 25 bridge, Tornabene said.

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Police have yet to release the names or official cause of death for three of the victims, but Tornabene said they all appeared to be transient and that the deaths were "related to the cold weather."

The winter storm began Wednesday night and blistered the region with subzero temperatures and wind chills that made it feel as cold as minus-30 degrees in some areas, according to the National Weather Service in Pueblo.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct date and location Katelin Anderson was found at.