Pueblo police express condolences after sheriff’s deputy killed in El Paso County
El Paso County Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Peery was shot and killed Sunday while responding to a shooting at a home in Security-Widefield. The man suspected in his murder was later found dead, seemingly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Colorado Springs police.
On Monday, several Pueblo-area law enforcement agencies voiced their support and solidarity with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and expressed sympathy for Peery’s grieving family.
Peery, 39, was a veteran once stationed at Fort Carson. He had been with the sheriff's office since 2016 and was a married father of two children, Chieftain news partner KRDO News Channel 13 reported
“The men and women of the Pueblo Police Department would like to send our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and law enforcement family of Deputy Andrew Peery of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office,” the Pueblo Police Department said on Twitter. “Our thoughts and prayers are with you.”
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office also tweeted its “heartfelt condolences” to its “law enforcement family” up the road in El Paso County.
“Our thoughts are with the family, friends and fellow deputies of El Paso County Sheriff Deputy Andrew Peery,” the PCSO said. “Thank you Deputy Peery for your service and sacrifice.”
Peery was killed Sunday after he arrived at a home in the unincorporated community in El Paso County to investigate a report of a shooting.
Peery and other responding law enforcement officers, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department, were met with gunshots and returned fire.
The sheriff's office initially stated Sunday they were searching for John Paz, 33, in connection with the shooting and issued a shelter-in-place order, but on Monday, CSPD provided additional details about the incident, including that a second victim was allegedly killed by Paz and that Paz died by suicide.
CSPD said about 5 p.m., police received reports of a shooting in the 500 block of Ponderosa Drive in Security-Widefield. EPSO patrol deputies and a Fountain Police Department officers responded to the scene and upon arrival, allegedly encountered gunfire from Paz, at which point Peery was “struck and gravely injured,” CSPD said.
Deputies returned fire and Peery was taken by ambulance to a local hospital but died from his injuries.
CSPD said Monday that at the scene, deputies and officers located a deceased adult female in the front yard of a nearby residence. The woman has not yet been identified by the El Paso County Coroner's Office.
CSPD said its tactical enforcement unit then entered the home and found Paz dead inside, “due to an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound."
“While the El Paso County Coroner’s Office will make the official cause and manner of death determinations for all three individuals, the deaths of Deputy Peery and the adult female are being investigated as homicides committed by John Paz,” CSPD said.
“CSPD will be the lead investigative agency for the officer-involved shooting and will also take lead investigative responsibilities for the homicide of Deputy Peery and the adult female.”
Sunday night, scores of people lined up to honor Peery as a hearse carrying his body drove from a local hospital to the coroner's office, according to the Associated Press.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis also expressed sympathy to the family of Peery, who was a decorated member of the sheriff’s department SWAT team, the AP reported.
"My thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of Deputy Peery and all our neighbors in law enforcement who put their lives at risk to serve others," Polis said.
Chieftain editor Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on Twitter @ZachHillstrom.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: El Paso sheriff deputy killed searching for John Paz; Pueblo mourns
