Updated at 6:37 p.m. on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot at suspects in Black Forest, about 30 minutes north of Colorado Springs, Thursday morning. The suspects allegedly tried to drive their vehicle into the officers during an enforcement operation.
“As a result of their violent actions and to protect the officers and agents onsite, an officer fired three shots into the vehicle,” an ICE spokesperson said in a statement. “The aliens fled and later abandoned the vehicle. Law enforcement officials are currently searching for the fugitives.”
No injuries have been reported. Officials say two suspects are still at large.
A large law enforcement presence could be seen in the area Thursday. That included large armored vehicles, helicopters and drones, FBI agents, ICE officers and El Paso County Sheriff’s deputies.
A KRCC reporter witnessed an abandoned truck towed out of a ditch by law enforcement, though it was unclear if that was the vehicle involved in the shooting. Burgess Road in Black Forest near the intersection of Green Tree had been closed for five hours, according to law enforcement.
Armed law enforcement agents appeared to be searching a field and private properties near Burgess Road for the suspects. By Thursday evening a shelter-in-place order that had been announced earlier in the day had been lifted, but it was unclear if any arrests had been made.
Pro-immigrant activists were at a law enforcement staging location by Thursday afternoon attempting to find information.
“We know that ICE is going to put up their own presentation on this, and the feds are going to put up their own presentation on this,” said Genevieve Richard with the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression. “We view anything they say with a great deal of skepticism, so we're just trying to find out all we can.”
The ICE spokesperson said officers are facing an increase in assaults and blamed “lies and violent rhetoric” for the increase.
KRCC’s Andrea Chalfin contributed reporting.
