A Colorado Springs police officer fatally shot an alleged Walmart shoplifter early Tuesday morning following a foot chase, officials say.

The name, gender and age of the shoplifting suspect have not been released.

Read more: 2017 Colorado officer-involved shootings

The officer who killed the shoplifter is on routine paid administrative leave pending an investigation by deputies of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, said Jacqueline Kirby, sheriff spokeswoman.

An employee from the Walmart store at 3201 E. Platte Ave. called police about the shoplifter at 11:30 p.m. Monday, Kirby said.

At first, one officer responded to the shoplifting call. A foot chase ensued as this officer identified the shoplifting suspect, she said.

A second officer joined the pursuit that led to the 3200 block of Bijou Avenue. The officers caught up with the suspect a few minutes after midnight, Kirby said.

One of the officers shot and killed the shoplifter, she said. The name of the officer has not been released.

Crime scene investigators and detectives immediately began working on the case.

“They have been processing the scene all night,” Kirby said.



