(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Local and federal partners teamed up to arrest a fugitive in Colorado Springs on Thursday, Aug. 14, who was allegedly wanted by the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) for parole violations.
According to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD), the coordinated operation involved the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Fugitive Task Force of Southern Colorado, the CSPD Tactical Enforcement (TEU) and K9 units, and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).
According to police, the fugitive, identified as Joshua Kirby, was wanted for Felony Escape – No Bond with full statewide extradition. USMS detectives said that Kirby was “…a known flight risk with a history of violent behavior, weapons possession, narcotics use, resisting arrest, and mental health concerns.”
On Thursday, just before 4 p.m., USMS personnel spotted Kirby, who was the passenger in a truck driven by another man, whose identity is being withheld pending further investigation, in the 1000 block of Kelly Johnson Boulevard, near Academy Boulevard and I-25. “Intelligence indicated this second male was associated with gang activity, white supremacist affiliations, and recent possession of numerous firearms,” detailed CSPD.
Kirby was also seen with another man, identified as Shawn Agler, who was wanted on felony warrants. After spotting the suspects, TEU officers initiated a contact block to prevent the vehicle from driving away while officers deployed a “…sight-and-sound diversionary device and loudly identified themselves as police.”
Police said Kirby ran away and jumped a six-foot fence to try and escape arrest, while Agler immediately surrendered to TEU officers and was taken to the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center (CJC) by CSPD.
K9 officers, along with USMS detectives, worked together to block Kirby’s escape route, while K9 warnings were given but ignored by the suspect, according to police.
Kirby then ran into a heavily vegetated area with USMS vehicles under lights and sirens in pursuit. K9 Zev was deployed to assist and “…successfully located and apprehended Kirby in dense brush, holding him until officers could safely take him into custody.”
Kirby was taken to the hospital for minor injuries before he was turned over to USMS custody; he will eventually be booked into the CJC.
“This operation exemplifies the teamwork and professionalism of multiple agencies working together to ensure public safety during the capture of a dangerous fugitive,” wrote CSPD. “No officers, citizens, or additional suspects were injured during the incident.”
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