Man Suspected Of Shooting Ex-Fiance Arrested In New Mexico
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) — After a search that lasted nearly six hours, authorities found a suspect wanted for allegedly shooting his ex-girlfriend in Arapahoe County.
The shooting was reported about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 300 block of Inverness Parkway near Interstate 25 and Lincoln Ave., according to sheriff's office spokesman Ron Hanavan.
The gunman has been identified as Christopher Lyle Fields. Fields, 28, was taken into custody by the New Mexico State Police about 2:30 p.m. near Raton, N.M., about 200 miles south of Denver along Interstate 25.
Investigators said Fields was hiding on the side of an off-ramp and then approached his ex-girlfriend as she was driving northbound on the exit ramp from I-25 approaching East County Line Road. Fields allegedly stepped in front of her car and fired one round through the windshield, striking her. The car was apparently moving at the time.
"He approached on foot was able to walk out in front of the car and shoot one round through the windshield, striking the victim," Cpt. Larry Etheridge with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Department said.
Authorities said the woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to recover.
Investigators say the victim was able to drive herself to a nearby office complex. A bullet hole was found in the windshield of the Ford Escape the woman was driving in the parking lot of Intuit.
It is believed that Fields worked as a contractor in that area as early as last fall. Former co-workers of Fields believe he was dating an employee at Intuit, which is near where the shooting happened.
"We were able to develop information about his whereabouts in New Mexico. We notified the authorities down there and the New Mexico state police were able to take him into custody without incident," Etheridge said.
Investigators have not confirmed whether the woman who was shot was an employee of Intuit. Her identity has not been released.
Fields has a troubled past. His mother confirmed in 2011 and this year he was charged with stalking the victim. The victim told investigators, "He keeps harassing me at my job, slashing my tires and keying horrible words on it."
She also said he was "pasting nude pictures with my house address and phone number at my work." In a letter she gave investigators, he ended it with, "May pestilence consume you. I hope you get what you deserve."
Fields' mother told CBS4 he has suffered from bipolar disorder for years.
Lockouts at more than a dozen nearby schools were issued while police looked for the suspect. The restrictions were lifted two hours later even though the suspect was not located.
