Attacked Planned Parenthood To Reopen, CEO Praises Employees
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - The Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs attacked by a gunman in November will partially reopen its doors on Feb. 15.
About 30 percent of the clinic will reopen next Monday. An armored police vehicle smashed its way into the facility to rescue people. There's still a lot of repair work to do, but they wanted to get back to serving patients as soon as possible.
It has been a difficult three months for Planned Parenthood since the siege on the day after Thanksgiving. Three were killed, nine wounded, and the sense of security shattered.
This building is ready to open, but Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains CEO and President Vicki Cowart says they won't be able to handle the normal numbers of patients.
"We'll be providing the range of services the same as before, but reduced number, we won't be able to see as many people each day," she said.
Two of those killed were accompanying clients and the third was a police officer who came to help. The staff of the clinic hid in rooms away from the gunman Robert Lewis Dear.
Cowart praised her employees,
"The brave and remarkable people in the health center that day have recovered so well," she said.
As for the gunman, he said he was a "warrior for the babies." By phone in January from jail he told CBS4's Rick Sallinger he did not plan the attack in advance. He plans to plead guilty and expects to be put to death.
"I feel they are going to execute me and put me to death. That will be apology enough," Dear said.
His goal he said was to prevent abortions, but Cowart insists he failed.
"He didn't save lives, he disrupted lives," she said. "He interfered with people accessing health care."
While Planned Parenthood is reopening, Dear is to be undergoing a competency exam at the state hospital in Pueblo to determine if he is fit to stand trial.
LINK: Statement from Rocky Mountains CEO and President Vicki Cowart
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.
