KeArre Marcell Stewart, a 29-year-old male, found his life tragically cut short on a Friday in Colorado Springs. An Army veteran who had served a tour in Iraq, he was a devoted father to two young daughters. Friends and family remember him as a caring, giving, and funny individual who was always striving to create a better life for his family. Originally from Texas, he had been stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs in 2013 and was discharged from the military the following year.
On that fateful day, Stewart had accompanied a friend to a Planned Parenthood clinic. He was standing outside the building, making a phone call due to poor reception inside, when a gunman opened fire. Despite being wounded, he ran back into the clinic, shouting for everyone to take cover and get into rooms, and he dialed 911. His heroic actions undoubtedly saved lives, but sadly, he succumbed to his injuries. He was one of three people, including a police officer, who lost their lives in the attack. Nine other people were wounded.
The man responsible for the shooting was identified as 57-year-old Robert Lewis Dear Jr. After a tense standoff with police that lasted for five hours, Dear surrendered and was taken into custody. He was held without bond and faced a court appearance the following Monday. Those who knew him described him as a drifter with a history of run-ins with the law. The attack sent shockwaves through the community, leaving friends and family to mourn the loss of a man who had survived the horrors of war only to be killed in an act of senseless violence back home.
