The gunman who killed a deputy and injured four other officers after firing 100 rounds during a horrific ‘ambush attack’ in Colorado live streamed the incident as officials at a former college he attended revealed his history of erratic behavior.
Periscope footage from the Highlands Ranch apartment of Matthew Riehl, 37, reveals him screaming early Sunday in a dark room while telling officers, ‘go away, go away! Don’t come in! I’ve warned you. Identify… What’s your name?’ as several shots are fired.
‘Get the f**k outta here! Get out! Leave me alone! Why are you here? You don’t have a warrant,’ Riehl shouted.
Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, was shot dead while responding to a verbal disturbance call by Riehl around 5:15am from the apartment.
Deputy Mike Doyle, 28, Deputy Taylor Davis, 30, Deputy Jeffrey Pelle, 32, – all of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office – and 41-year-old Castle Rock Police Officer Tom O’Donnell were injured.
Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock revealed at a press conference Sunday that all of the remaining officers are in stable condition.
Authorities had publicly identified Riehl – who was shot dead by the joint task force unit.
Matthew Riehl, 37, was identified as the gunman who allegedly killed one deputy and injured four others in the Sunday shooting
Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29 (pictured) was shot and killed while responding to a verbal disturbance at an apartment complex near Denver. He is survived by his wife and two young daughters
In the recorded altercation, he continues to yell: ‘Go away! Leave me alone! Go! Get out! (shots fired) They broke my door! They broke my door! They broke my door!’ he repeats.
‘Why, why, why?! he screamed. ‘Leave me alone,’ he is finally heard saying in the clip.
Riehl, an Iraq war veteran, posted a YouTube clip earlier this month claiming he was trying to unseat his local sheriff.
In another video the gunman posted on Periscope in hour before the killing, he is shown rambling as he chugs scotch.
Riehl curses and spews details about his roommate following a fight the two allegedly had.
‘I thought we were lovers … are you kicking me out?’ he seemingly asks, although is was confirmed his roommate was not home at the time.
‘I’m sorry, maybe I bought over 1,000 rounds of ammunition at Walmart. It’s not illegal. So if anybody bothers me, that’s why I’ve have a couple scotches,’ he said after.
Then, he called 911.
Just two weeks ago, Riehl (left and right), recorded himself ranting about one of the Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies, Brian Briggs. In the bizarre YouTube video, Riehl can be seen holding up Briggs’ business card as he calls him a ‘pimp’ multiple times
He told the dispatcher: ‘This guy invited me to his house and it was time to move in and he like, totally freaked out on me.
‘He was comin’ at me … and OK, I’m worried about his health. He didn’t know what year it was,’ he rambles on in the confusing video.
‘He kept coming at me, and I put a laser in his eye … for my health and safety. I do have some weapons. I own firearms. You know, I’ve had some scotch.
‘I’ve been on my Periscope just doing my thing, I’m not hear to hurt anybody,’ he laughs lightly. ‘But yes, I do have firearms.’
Riehl is then seen walking out of the room as the Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies arrive.
The deputies enter the home and one says, ‘are you OK?’ and Riehl responds, ‘Well, I want to file a domestic restraining order against my domestic partner.’
An officer is heard telling Riehl he can help him when he asks, while the officer adds, ‘I just feel like you’re really upset’ as Riehl rambles further.
Sheriff Spurlock said the officers responded to a call that came in as a domestic dispute but was quickly revealed to be a verbal dispute between the shooter and his roommate.
It was the second time deputies had gone to the apartment Sunday.
There was another call at about 1:30am but there was no noise when deputies arrived.
The four – aside from Parrish (pictured with and two young daughters) – were able to crawl to safety while a separate joint task force unit entered the apartment and eventually shot and killed the suspect
Four other deputies were shot. They include 28-year-old Deputy Mike Doyle (left), 30-year-old Deputy Taylor Davis, 32-year-old Deputy Jeffrey Pelle – all of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office – and 41-year-old Castle Rock Police Officer Tom O’Donnell (right)
Deputy Jeffrey Pelle (left), son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, was confirmed as one of the deputies shot this morning, according to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office
After being let in, and confronting the suspect, who had barricaded himself in a bedroom, the officers were almost immediately met with fire.
The sheriff said there is no timeline available yet as to who was shot first but that all of them were shot ‘very very quickly and all went down within seconds of other’.
The four were able to crawl to safety while a separate joint task force unit entered the apartment and eventually shot and killed Riehl.
Authorities said the roommate, who was home, was not injured and the two civilians were not inside the apartment.
Two civilians were also shot by the suspect, but sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
They have not been identified.
Police are treating the event as a ‘mental health response,’ according to 9 News.
It seems students at Wyoming College of Law in Laramie had previously warned police about Riehl – a former student – after he published similar posts about professors, according to KTWO-AM.
In November, Assistant College of Law Dean Lindsay Hoyt told students in an email to inform campus police if they sighted Riehl, while the school amped up security for days.
Officers at the campus even went so far as to call law enforcement in Lone Tree, Colorado to warn of his concerning social media talks that reflected that of a mentally-ill person, UW Police Chief Mike Samp said in a statement to The Denver Post.
A line of police cars left Littleton Adventist Hospital (pictured) and traveled along Colorado State Highway 470 led by two officers on motorcycles
A procession of police vehicles escorts the hearse carrying the body of Parrish, who was killed on Sunday morning.
Just two weeks ago, Riehl, also recorded himself ranting about one of the Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies, Brian Briggs.
In the bizarre YouTube video, Riehl can be seen holding up Briggs’ business card as he calls him a ‘pimp’ multiple times.
Riehl then goes on to lash out at Sheriff Spurlock, calling him and his deputies ‘clowns’.
‘We’re going to fire all these bums come next year,’ Riehl is heard saying as he promotes his ‘Libertarian’ candidacy for the sheriff of Douglas County.
According to News 9, the YouTube video wasn’t the first time Riehl lashed out at the sheriff’s office either.
He also reportedly exchanged a series of angry tweets with the Douglas Sheriff’s Office.
During Sheriff Spurlock’s press conference Sunday afternoon, he did say that officers ‘are familiar with him [the suspect]’.
After the tragic shooting, a motorcade was held for fallen deputy Parrish.
A line of police cars left Littleton Adventist Hospital and traveled along Colorado State Highway 470 led by two officers on motorcycles.
Officer Sean R. Bigler reacts during a candlelight vigil at Mission Hills Church on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, for Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, in Littleton, Colorado
Gracie Zacakri, left, is embraced by her small group as family, friends, and community attended the remembrance and candlelight vigil Monday
Elizabeth police officer Sean Bigler, middle, gets a hug from a fellow officer during the candle light vigil for their friend and fellow officer
People embrace after leaving flowers on a police cruiser for the victims of what authorities describe as an ambush Monday at the Douglas Country Sheriff Substation in Highlands Ranch
A memorial is seen on a police cruiser for the victims of what authorities describe as an ambush killing
Tributes to the sheriff’s deputy killed in a shootout are seen outside a Douglas County, Colo., Sheriffs Department substation Monday
Some stood and saluted as the hearse passed by while others held up American flags in honor of the deceased deputy.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office tweeted that it was during the investigation at the building in Highlands Ranch that shots were fired with a rifle – nearly 100 rounds in an ambush-style attack.
On Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump sent a message of sympathy, tweeting: ‘My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families.
‘We love our police and law enforcement – God Bless them all! #LESM,’ the president tweeted.
Members of the fire department salute as the motorcade drives by (pictured). Parrish was one of five who were shot at an apartment complex near Denver
David Morgan of Highlands Ranch, holds an American flag as a procession of law enforcement vehicles accompany a hearse carrying Parrish’s body
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the deputies were responding to a domestic disturbance call around 5.15am Sunday at the Copper Canyon Apartments on the 3400 block County Line Road between Colorado and University Boulevards
It was during the investigation at the Highlands Ranch building that shots were fired and several deputies were injured, the sheriff’s office tweeted (scene above)
On Sunday afternoon, President Donald Trump sent a message of sympathy to the victims of the shooting
Parrish is survived by his wife and two young daughters and a GoFundMe account has been set up to help support them.
So far, $123,126 has been raised.
According to WBPF, a sheriff’s office spokesperson confirmed that a SWAT team arrived at the home where the shooting occurred around 7.15am.
Video broadcast by Denver 7 showed an Arapahoe County Sheriff Bomb Squad truck at the scene.
The sheriff’s office earlier issued a ‘Code Red’ on Twitter, instructing residents in the area to shelter in place.
‘A Code Red was sent out regarding this incident. Any citizens in the affected area are instructed to shelter in place, avoid windows and stay away from exterior walls,’ read the post sent out around 6.15am local time.
Much remains unclear about Riehl’s life and his actions leading up to the shooting, but he did have an interest in guns.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help support Parrish’s family (pictured with his two daughters in August 2016)
Photos on Riehl’s Facebook page show him posing with a few weapons. According to the New York Times, Riehl took an introductory course in carbine rifles in June.
The course was run a company called Kenaz Tactical Group, according to Robert Butler, the company’s owner and lead instructor.
Butler said Riehl seemed like ‘just the ordinary student’ and did not seem unstable or violent.
Linda Watson, a spokesperson for Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lonetree, told The New York Times that the hospital received three patients who are all in non-critical condition.
However, she did not specify whether these were law enforcement officers or civilians.
Another four were taken to Littleton Adventist Hospital in Littleton, Alyssa Parker, a hospital spokeswoman, told the newspaper. She did not specify how serious the injuries were.
In updating its Facebook and Twitter pages with the news of the deputy’s death, the Sheriff’s Office changed its profile images to a badge with a black band across it.
Denver7 ‘s Meghan Lopez arrived on scene and reported hearing gunshots ring out in the distance.
The Copper Canyon Apartments website describes its homes (pictured) as some of the ‘friendliest apartments in Highlands Ranch,’ minutes away from shopping, dining and entertainment in Denver
Two civilians were also shot by the suspect. Pictured is a map of where the shooting took place
Video also showed a Arapahoe County Sheriff Bomb Squad truck outside the complex (scene above)
The office had reported ‘multiple deputies down’ after the shooting, which happened in Highlands Ranch, about 15 miles south of Denver
The sheriff’s office has issued a ‘Code Red’ on Twitter, instructing residents in the area to shelter in place
She also noted several roads were closed in the area due to the police response and that at least eight ambulances were at the scene earlier Sunday.
The Sheriff’s Office also issued a tweet stating that Douglas County, Parker Police Department, Lone Tree Police Department, Castle Rock Police Department and Colorado State Patrol were all agencies on ‘accident alert’.
Around 9am, an emergency shelter was set up at the Highlands Ranch Recreation Center at Eastridge at 9568 University Boulevard for anyone displaced from their home during the investigation.
The Copper Canyon Apartments website describes its homes as some of the ‘friendliest apartments in Highlands Ranch,’ minutes away from shopping, dining and entertainment in Denver.
Highlands Ranch is an affluent neighborhood in Colorado with the median income for a household at $104,411, and the median income for a family at $113,944.
Only about one per cent of families in the area live below the poverty line.