Immigrant with record accused in Colorado officer shooting

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Court records show a man accused of shooting a Colorado police officer in the head in a shootout is an Iraqi immigrant with a recent criminal history in the U.S.

Police say 31-year-old Karrar Noaman Al Khammasi shot at officers in Colorado Springs on Thursday. Officer Cem Duzel remains in critical condition at an area hospital.

Al Khammasi was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Colorado Springs Gazette reports Al Khammasi’s criminal record includes a felony guilty plea to first-degree trespassing and a probation violation that brought a year-and-a-half-long prison sentence.

Al Khammasi was charged earlier this year for allegedly possessing a stolen handgun. Al Khammasi’s hospitalization caused him to miss a court appearance on the gun charge Friday.

His attorney couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Saturday.

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Information from: The Gazette, http://www.gazette.com