Pueblo police chief blames ‘soft-on-crime legislation’ for shootout that left three officers injured

By Sydney Isenberg | Denver7

PUEBLO, Colo. — The chief of the Pueblo Police Department blamed Colorado’s “soft-on-crime legislation” for a shootout that left three of his officers injured and a suspect dead on Tuesday.

Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller said his officers were searching for Billy Soto, 34, who was wanted for attempted murder in connection with a shooting at the Pueblo Village Apartments on Feb. 3.

Noeller called Soto a “self-admitted MS-13 gang member” with an extensive criminal history, including 14 felony arrests. The police chief said most of those felony arrests were pleaded down to misdemeanors.

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