Robert Dear, the suspect in the 2015 Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic shooting that killed three people, died in federal custody at 67, ending a yearslong legal battle over his prosecution. He had been charged in 2019 in federal court, but his case was repeatedly stalled by his mental health issues. Dear had been found incompetent to stand trial multiple times due to his delusional disorder, which led to a prolonged legal battle over whether he could be medicated against his will for his illness. His death brings a closure to the case, although it leaves victims and their families without the possibility of achieving justice in a court of law.
The shooting occurred in November 2015, when Dear, armed with multiple weapons, approached the clinic with the intent to ‘wage war’ against it for offering abortion services. He opened fire on people parked near his truck, killing one and seriously injuring another, before moving on to the clinic itself. The attack resulted in three deaths and several injuries, with law enforcement spending approximately five hours to subdue him during a tense standoff. The incident has drawn significant attention due to the suspect’s mental health issues and the nature of the crime, which occurred at a medical facility providing reproductive health services.
Ke’Arre Stewart, a 29-year-old Army veteran who had served in Iraq, was one of the victims. He was accompanied by his wife, Jennifer Markovsky, 36, who had grown up in Hawaii, and they were visiting the clinic with friends. Garrett Swase, a campus police officer at a nearby college, was also killed during the incident. Nine others were injured, and the tragedy has had a profound impact on the local community and the broader discussions on gun control and mental health treatment. The families of the victims expressed their grief and desire for justice, although their pursuit of legal redress was now rendered impossible due to the suspect’s death.
Dear’s legal battle was complicated by his mental health status. He had been civilly committed with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, according to 4th Judicial District Attorney Michael J. Allen, whose office had initially tried to prosecute him in state court. Allen’s office ultimately determined that Dear was unfit to stand trial due to his mental state, leading to the federal court’s involvement in his case. The prosecution faced significant challenges in determining whether his medication, which would have been necessary for him to understand the proceedings, could be forcibly administered. This legal struggle ultimately culminated in Dear’s death, which has ended the potential for his legal accountability.
The incident has raised broader questions about the intersection of mental health, gun control, and the legal system. Advocates for mental health care reform have pointed to the case as a tragic example of the consequences of untreated mental illness and the lack of adequate mental health resources. Meanwhile, the shooting has also sparked discussions on the availability of firearms to individuals with mental health issues and the potential for similar tragedies to occur in the future. As the community mourns the victims, the incident serves as a grim reminder of the need for continued efforts in addressing these complex and intertwined issues.