COLORADO SPRINGS — Police on Tuesday identified the man who shot and killed six people and himself at a family’s birthday party as Teodoro Macias, the 28-year-old boyfriend of an attendee, and said he opened fire because he was upset he wasn’t invited to the celebration.
Colorado Springs police believe Macias walked into a mobile home in the 2800 block of Preakness Way shortly after midnight Sunday and shot his girlfriend, 28-year-old Sandra Ibarra-Perez, and five members of her extended family. He then killed himself, according to police.
“At the core of this horrendous act is domestic violence,” Chief Vince Niski said. “The suspect… displayed power and control issues. When he wasn’t invited to a family gathering, the suspect responded by opening fire.”
Those killed were identified as Melvin Perez, 30, his wife Mayra Ibarra De Perez, 33, Melvin’s brother, Jose Gutierrez, 21, and the men’s mother, Joana Cruz, 52. Also killed were Mayra’s siblings, Sandra Ibarra-Perez and Jose Ibarra, 26.
A relative of the suspect, identified as Chana Garcia on Facebook, declined to comment Monday.
“Our family is not ready to release a statement at this time,” she wrote in a message. “Please allow us some time to grieve.”
The Mother’s Day mass shooting is one of the deadliest in state history and happened just seven weeks after a gunman killed 10 people at a grocery store in Boulder.
At the scene Tuesday, a handful of neighbors and strangers visited a small memorial outside the trailer, despite the rain and sleet. They added flowers and balloons to the table outside, already filled with candles, teddy bears and photos of the dead.
Jerry Torres made the sign of the cross as he approached the table and said a small prayer. He called 911 the night of the shooting after he heard gunshots from his home a few trailers away.
He heard screaming at first, he said, then silence.
“That’s when I knew they were all gone,” he said.
