The Pueblo police chief and mayor placed blame on “soft-on-crime legislation” during a news conference after an officer-involved shooting the night before left three officers hospitalized and a suspect dead.

Three Pueblo Police Department officers were shot by a suspect in an attempted murder case. 

Gunfire broke out around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday near West Mesa Avenue and Cedar Street, near Bessemer Park on the city’s south side. The slain suspect, identified as 34-year-old Bill Soto fired an estimated 80 rounds at the officers, said Chris Noeller, Pueblo’s police chief.

Noeller placed blame on laws that allowed Soto to be on the streets at all. 

“The blood of my officers lays at the steps of our Capitol,” he said. 

That sentiment was echoed by Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham, who began the news conference by speaking about the danger that habitual criminals can pose to communities. 

“I’m not satisfied with legislation that ties the hands of my officers and their ability to remove these violent criminals from our streets,” she said. “And neither should you.” 

Noeller provided additional details about the Tuesday night shooting, saying that his officers had been searching for Soto as a suspect in an attempted murder at a Pueblo apartment building Feb. 3. 

“Our officers were ambushed and shot by a malicious person who should have been in jail, but wasn’t because of our soft-on-crime legislation and bonds,” Noeller said, arguing that leniency with lower-level offenses only emboldens criminals like Soto.  

According to the police report, dispatch received notice of an officer having been shot, resulting in more officers and deputies with the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office responding to the scene and also being fired upon. Police said the suspect was running and continuing to shoot. 

Noeller said Soto was armed with a rifle, and was eventually shot and killed by his officers returning fire. Soto was declared dead at the scene.

All three officers who were shot were taken to the hospital. The names of the officers have not been released.

“Three very brave men alongside their families have paid the price for our community’s safety,” Graham said.

Noeller said all three officers are in stable condition, but they “have a long road to recovery.”

The 10th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team, which is led by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, is conducting the investigation.

Gov. Jared Polis released a statement regarding the shooting:

“Our men and women in uniform work every day on the front lines, and put themselves in harm’s way to protect our lives and communities. Pueblo is a strong community, especially in tough times like this. I am closely monitoring this situation and getting regular updates, and The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is actively supporting the investigation with support from State Patrol. I applaud the actions of everyone involved in stopping the violent suspect, and am praying for the three officers who were injured in this attack.”

The suspect

Public records show Soto was a Pueblo resident. 

Mayor Graham referred to Soto as an individual with “an extensive past in committing crime.” 

Noeller provided more specifics, saying Soto was a self-professed member of the international MS-13 criminal gang, with “pages of criminal history” — with Pueblo police alone. Noeller said Soto had been arrested on felony charges 14 times, most of which had been pleaded down to misdemeanor-level offenses.

In a Feb. 21 Pueblo Crimestoppers web posting, Soto was featured as a wanted criminal. He was listed as having skipped out on a $13,000 bond, and being wanted on three felony failure-to-appear warrants.  He was listed in connection to crimes including motor vehicle theft, resisting arrest, possessing a deadly weapon and drug possession, including possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.