The man accused of shooting and killing three people at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic in 2015 was indicted by a federal jury Monday.
Robert Dear is facing 68 charges, including using violence to prevent others from receiving reproductive health care services, which is a violation of the Federal Access to Clinic Entrances or FACE Act. Dear also faces several weapons charges.
The charges are in addition to the 179 counts at the state level related to the shootings.
In a statement from the U.S. District Attorney's Office, the following explanation was given for filing the new charges:
"Given that the incident happened over 4 years ago, that the state case has failed to advance, the applicable 5 year statute of limitations under the FACE Act, and in consideration of the views of both the 4th Judicial District Attorney and victims, the decision was made to file charges now."
Dear's case at the state level remains in legal limbo as he’s been deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial multiple times. He due to return to El Paso County District Court on Jan. 9, 2020.
In addition to the three deaths, nine people were injured in the shootings.
Federal court documents say Dear intended to "wage war" on the clinic because it offered abortion services. He was armed with a dozen guns, more than 500 rounds of ammunition, and several propane tanks.
If convicted, Dear could face the death penalty.
