Gunman kills six, himself at Colorado birthday party. Officers ‘all left incredibly shaken,’ police chief says

A group of friends and family gathered for a birthday party in Colorado were gunned down by a shooter who then took his own life, authorities said.

Just after midnight on May 9, police responding to the shooting at Canterbury Mobile Home Park in Colorado Springs found six people dead. A seventh later died at an area hospital, police said in a statement. 

The suspected mass murderer, believed to be a female guest’s boyfriend, allegedly entered the trailer where the party was held, shot the victims, including the person celebrating their birthday, and then took his own life, police said.

“The children at the trailer were uninjured by the suspect and are now with relatives,” police noted, adding investigators “are still investigating to determine a motive.” 

Colorado Springs Police Chief Vince Niski said officers on the scene were “all left incredibly shaken.”

“This is something you hope never happens in your own community, in the place that you call home,” he said. “When these types of unspeakable acts happen, there is nothing that can be done to fully rebuild what was lost or replace those who are no longer with us.”

Law enforcement officials are withholding the victims' identities until families are notified. 

Anyone with information about this crime, or is a witness who has not spoken with detectives, is asked to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000; or if they wish to remain anonymous, they can call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.