https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV9cLfKPbDY&feature=youtu.be
Video by Skyler Leonard.
A female suspect identified as Pauline Amaniera was taken into custody by Fort Collins Police Services around 2 p.m. Monday after an hours-long standoff in the parking lot of a Fort Collins Kmart.
Police were initially investigating a report that several parked vehicles had been damaged in the parking lot, according to a press release. When they responded to the scene, Amaniera was inside her vehicle with a gun to her head. She refused to comply with commands to put down the weapon and exit her vehicle.
The Special Weapons and Tactics teams from Fort Collins Police Services and Larimer County Sheriff’s Office were called to assist. The suspect was barricaded in her car and refused to comply with police orders for the next few hours.
“The officer went up and tried to contact her, but she wouldn’t get out of the vehicle. At that point, the officers saw that she had a gun,” said the Public Information Officer.
At 1:30 p.m., chemical agents were deployed outside of her vehicle, while Amaniera held the gun to her head. Police launched a chemical agent through the back window of her car, resulting in Amaniera’s dropping of the weapon. She then exited the truck, according to the press release.
Police took Amaniera into custody and arrested her on felony charges of criminal mischief and domestic violence, while additional charges are pending.
She had outstanding no-bond warrants, including second degree assault, failure to appear for cruelty to a child and failure to comply with bond conditions, according to the press release. She was booked into Larimer County Jail Monday.
Suspect is safely in custody.
— Fort Collins Police (@FCPolice) December 7, 2015
Police are still investigating whether the suspect intentionally rammed her car into vehicles at Kmart on 2535 S. College Ave., the Public Information Officer said.
Police did not know where the other person who was involved in the crash was located at the time of the first press conference. Police are still trying to figure out the motives of the suspect.
The MAX Transit was closed from Laurel Street to Drake Road as of 12 p.m. Monday. Both College Avenue and Drake Road were closed near the area as well. The K-Mart was on lockdown, and businesses in the surrounding area were evacuated, the Public Information Officer said. Businesses have since re-opened.
There was no threat to campus safety, states an e-mail sent Monday from the Colorado State University Public Safety Team. However, MAX service between Drake Road and Laurel Street was shut down.
This story was updated at 5:18 p.m. to reflect additional information.
Collegian News Editor Christina Vessa can be reached online at news@collegian.com. Executive Editor Skyler Leonard and News Editor Ellie Mulder contributed to this report.
