One of two parole officers struck by a vehicle near downtown Colorado Springs Thursday has died, according to authorities. 

Authorities announced the death during a brief press conference in front of UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central, where dozens of police cars lined up in preparation for a procession to transport the fallen officer from the hospital to the El Paso County Coroner’s Office. Andre Stancil, executive director of the Colorado Department of Corrections, who announced the death, did not identify the second officer. 

Waiting for the sprinklers to be turned off before starting the presser. We’re told the police vehicles are waiting for a procession to the coroner’s office that will follow. pic.twitter.com/0njTLulXzy

— Brooke Nevins (@brooke_nevins) September 29, 2023

“It is with deep sadness that I let you know that a community parole officer died today as a result of injuries sustained in the line of duty. Our heart is broken for the family of the officer, the Division of Adult Parole, and the entire Department of Corrections, who are suffering and mourning the loss right now,” Stancil said.

Officials are waiting until the victim’s family is notified before identifying the officer to the public. Another press conference is planned for 1:30 p.m. Friday.

In a social media post, police said the crash was reported at 3:45 p.m. at the intersection of West Bijou and North Spruce streets. Authorities sent an alert at 6:15 p.m. asking the public to be on the lookout for the suspect, identified by police as 41-year-old Justin Andrew Kula.

Just before 7:40 p.m., the Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced that Kula and been apprehended and the suspect vehicle, described at the time as a charcoal-colored Lexus RX 330, had been located. The arrest followed a shelter-in-place order in the 400 block of Glen View Court, on the city’s west side.

Police did not provide additional details on the crash, the arrest or the condition of the second officer Thursday night. 

The suspect, Kula, has an extensive rap sheet that includes assault, stalking, domestic violence, theft and fugitive from justice charges dating back to 2017, online court records show.

In 2020, Kula was convicted of extortion, assaulting a peace officer, disorderly conduct across multiple incidents and received three to five years for each incident, records show.

Kula appears to have failed to appear in court multiple times throughout the years and received roughly one year in jail for a probation violation conviction in 2020.

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