Man killed by police in Colorado Springs – shots fired in residential area, CSPD drone

The gunman who was shot and killed by a Colorado Springs police officer in May fired several shots from his home into the surrounding neighborhood, hitting a police drone, police said Thursday.

Michael Ray Hurst Jr., 40, was shot twice by Colorado Springs police officer Nicholas Cassalia after Hurst refused to put down his weapon and tried to use it, police said in a news conference Thursday.

Colorado Springs officers responded to a 911 call at approximately 10:36 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, from Hurst’s mother, who claimed her son was suicidal and in possession of a gun, police spokesman Joe Frabbiele said in the briefing.

At 10:42 p.m., a gunshot was heard from the house while the mother was still on the phone with 911, Frabbiele said. She told dispatchers Hurst likely shot into the ceiling and safely exited the house by crawling out her bedroom window.

In an audio recording of the emergency call, the mother can be heard explaining to the dispatcher that her son must be under the influence of methamphetamine.

Colorado Springs officers attempted to conduct a welfare check upon arrival and made several announcements telling Hurst to leave the house, Frabbiele said at Thursday’s press conference. In response, Hurst fired two shots from the house into the surrounding neighborhood, striking a Colorado Springs police drone hovering in the air.

Nearly 20 minutes after the shots were fired, Hurst left the house but refused to put down the gun, Frabbiele said.

Hurst repeatedly threatened to shoot the officers. In Colorado Springs Police body camera footage, Hurst can be heard telling the officers, “I’m going to shoot you too” and “you’re all going to die,” among other insults and threats.