CO- Sexual Assault Suspect Shot and Killed by Police

I cannot find any reason, in any version of this story, indicating why they killed him. It cannot be just because someone said "He will not go down alive," after all those are just words not actions.

3-11-2009 Colorado:

PUEBLO - A suspect wanted for two counts of sexual assault against a child has been shot and killed by police, concluding a manhunt in Pueblo that placed seven north side schools on lock-down Wednesday afternoon.

The Pueblo Sheriff's office is handling the investigation, since it involved two Pueblo Police Officers. Details about the shooting are still not being released, pending the investigation.

Police have confirmed the man shot and killed is 55-year old David Wiggs. Officers shot and killed Wiggs on the 4th street Bridge, near Erie on the east side of Pueblo around 4 p.m.

Sgt Eric Bravo with Pueblo Police tells NEWSCHANNEL 13 that the search for Wiggs began around 12:30 Wednesday afternoon, after an off-duty Florence Police Officer spotted him near the Safeway Grocery Store off 29th and Elizabeth.

Pueblo Police and Sheriff, along with the State Patrol conducted a search of the area. They took extra precaution while searching for Wiggs because he reportedly told family members and officers, "I will not go down alive," earlier in the day.

The search turned up a tent along Fountain Creek where Wiggs was believed to have been living for the last few days. K-9 units searched the creek bed on foot, and a police helicopter from Freemont County circled above the area throughout the afternoon.

Pueblo schools that were placed on lock-down status were Haaff Elementary, Irving Elementary, Morton Elementary, Somerlid Elementary, Freed Middle School, Heaton Middle School, and Centennial High School.

Students we spoke with say they were scared after an announcement was made on the intercom system. Bus services for those schools on lockdown were also stopped until D-60 got word about the suspect's death.

Dive Teams spent the night searching Fountain Creek near the shooting. Sgt Bravo won't says what investigators are looking for, but sources tell NEWSCHANNEL 13 that it could be a 9mm gun Wiggs apparently was carrying with him.

Teams called off the searched about 7:30 Wednesday night after temperatures dropped and the sun was setting. ..News Source.. by News Channel13.com