A rare California condor passing through southwestern Colorado was shot and killed this year and state and federal authorities on Wednesday asked the public to help track down those responsible.
A critically endangered species, condors flying in the wild and rugged canyons of northern Arizona and southern Utah number only 85 – a population hard hit in 2023 by avian influenza. They’re seldom seen in Colorado. But in late March this year, somebody killed one in a remote area northeast of Lewis and west of McPhee Reservoir in Montezuma County, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said in a news release.
This massive dead bird was discovered about 24 hours after it was killed, CPW officials stated.
“Previous leads have not yielded results,” the officials said, so CPW and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials are asking for any information regarding the killing and those who are responsible.
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California condors are protected under the Endangered Species Act, which means it is illegal for anyone to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect them. Anyone involved in killing this condor could face a third-degree felony charge of wanton destruction of protected wildlife, with a maximum fine of $5,000, restitution of $1,500, and a five-year prison sentence, CPW officials said.
In 1987, the California condor population had declined to just 22 birds in the wild. A federally led recovery program has relied on captive breeding and release of condors. The total world population numbers more than 560, officials said. More than half are flying free in Arizona, Utah, California, and Mexico.
Anybody with information about the bird’s killing can call the Colorado Operation Game Thief hotline at 1-877-265-6648, send an email to game.thief@state.co.us, notify federal authorities by calling 844-397-8477, or submit it via cpw.state.co.us/hunting/poaching-and-operation-game-thief. Anybody providing information that leads to a successful prosecution may be eligible for a reward, CPW and USFWS officials said, adding that any requests for confidentiality will be respected.
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The battle over Denver’s Flock camera surveillance system escalated Tuesday with nine Denver City Council members asking the city auditor to step in and essentially block Mayor Mike Johnston’s proposed extension of a contract with Flock.
In a letter dated Oct. 25 and obtained by CBS News Colorado, the nine council members asked Denver City Auditor Tim O’Brien to not sign a five month contract extension with Flock that Johnston announced last week.
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“We have serious concerns about Flock Group Inc’s ethics, transparency and credibility,” reads the council letter. “We do not believe the City and County of Denver should continue doing business with a company that has demonstrated such disregard for honesty and accountability.”
The council members accuse Johnston of deliberately evading city council oversight of the Flock agreement by violating city contracting rules.
Last week, the Mayor announced he was unilaterally extending Flock’s camera contract with Denver through early 2026, with measures in place to prevent federal authorities from accessing data from Denver’s Flock cameras.
In response to the city council letter, a spokesperson for Johnston on Tuesday released a statement saying, “It is the Mayor’s job to keep the city safe. License plate readers do just that, and there is nothing about this no-cost extension that is beyond the scope of the Mayor’s responsibilities or authority.”
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Auditor Tim O’Brien said on Tuesday he would perform due diligence “by considering whether this contract is intentionally split in violation of city contracting rules and assessing if it subverted City Council’s independent oversight.”
Some city council members have expressed privacy concerns around the use of the cameras.
Denver City Council’s Health and Safety Committee is planning to discuss the Flock issue again on Wednesday with an update scheduled on the Surveillance Task Force.
A police officer, a suspect, and two gas station clerks have been injured in a police shooting on Monday night, according to the Denver Police Department.
Few details were immediately available, but the department posted about the shooting on social media just before 9:45 p.m. that the shooting happened in the 3200 Block of South Parker Road, near Interstate 225 by the border with Aurora.
At 10:25 p.m., the department provided an update, saying officers responded to reports of an armed robbery at a gas station. Officers shot the suspect, who was taken to a hospital in critical condition, and one officer was shot, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. Two store clerks were also shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries, the department said.
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Denver police cars were seen outside Denver Health the night of Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, after the Denver Police Department said an officer and a suspect were injured in a shooting near South Parker Road and Interstate 225.
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There was a large police presence at Denver Health, following the shooting, with patrol cars outside the emergency room with lights flashing.
Denver Nuggets (1-1, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-1, fifth in the Western Conference)
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Minneapolis; Monday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Nuggets -4.5; over/under is 228.5
BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota hosts Denver in a matchup of Western Conference teams.
Minnesota went 49-33 overall, 33-19 in Western Conference games and 25-16 at home during the 2024-25 season. The Timberwolves averaged 8.0 steals, 5.0 blocks and 13.7 turnovers per game last season.
Denver finished 50-32 overall and 8-8 in Northwest Division action during the 2024-25 season. The Nuggets averaged 17.0 points off of turnovers, 14.4 second-chance points and 26.4 bench points last season.
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INJURIES: Timberwolves: Rob Dillingham: day to day (nasal).
Nuggets: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
