COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Police are looking for a 53-year-old man who is accused of shooting and killing his neighbor Wednesday evening, then fleeing the city and possibly the state. The victim of the shooting recorded his own murder on his cellphone, police records show.
There is an active first-degree murder warrant for James W. Hanlon, 53, of Colorado Springs. He is suspected in the shooting death of 63-year-old Gary D. Dolce, which happened Wednesday around 6:30 p.m.
According to an affidavit in support of a warrant for Hanlon’s arrest, Hanlon shot and killed Dolce shortly after Hanlon was cited for a dangerous animal, which he suspected stemmed from a complaint made by Dolce.
The affidavit says that Dolce called police on Feb. 19 and reported that Hanlon, his neighbor, “was trying to get him to fight and that there were ongoing issues with the neighbor.”
When the humane society was delivering Hanlon his citation on Wednesday, he told the employee several times that Dolce “needs his ass kicked.”
“We’re just gonna kick his ass, that’s all we’re gonna do. Next time I see him I’ll just kick his ass…I guarantee you once he gets his ass kicked, that will be the end of it,” Hanlon is heard telling the humane society employee, according to the affidavit.
Hanlon received his citation at 5:38 p.m. and the shooting happened at 6:22 p.m., the affidavit states.
A woman driving down the street at the time of the shooting called police at 6:24 p.m. and told dispatchers she had heard gunshots and started to look around. As she did, according to the affidavit, she saw a white man get out of his vehicle, walk toward a man lying on the ground, and shoot the man in the head. She called 911 shortly afterward.
When officers and medical personnel arrived, they found Dolce with several gunshot wounds and determined he had already died.
A medical technician with American Medical Response noticed a cellphone on the ground next to Dolce, and noticed it was still recording, the affidavit states. The technician picked up the phone, stopped the recording and watched the video back.
On the video, according to the affidavit, one could see a newer-model, blue, four-door SUV approach Dolce with its driver-side window down. A man is heard saying something similar to “you f---ing idiot” and fires approximately four rounds out of the window from a handgun.
The technician put the phone down and stopped watching when he realized the video contained likely evidence, the affidavit says.
As police investigated Dolce’s death, they found out about the prior disputes between the two men and the citation issued to Hanlon earlier on the day of the murder.
They also canvassed the neighborhood for surveillance video and found one video that showed Hanlon driving past and toward the scene of the shooting just before the time it happened. The vehicle was a 2018 blue Toyota 4Runner – which matched the description of the SUV seen in the video. A blue 4Runner was found to be registered to Hanlon.
Officers reviewed the video from Dolce’s cellphone again as well, which showed that Hanlon was wearing blue rubber throwaway gloves at the time of the shooting.
“Mr. Hanlon says to Mr. Dolce, ‘You’re stupid’ to which Mr. Dolce replies, ‘Say again?’ Mr. Hanlon says ‘You’re stupid’ and points a handgun at Mr. Dolce and fires multiple times,” the affidavit says.
Dolce could be heard screaming after the shooting. As he is on the ground, the gun comes into view again and more shots are fired, the affidavit says. The SUV can then be heard driving away.
The affidavit says that officers tried to reach Hanlon several times by phone but that he declined the calls.
On Friday, police said that they believe Hanlon might have left Colorado. He is described as a white male who is 5 feet 11 inches tall and 180 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Police believe he is still driving the 4Runner, which has Colorado license plate CCW619. Police say he is considered armed and dangerous.
Dolce was a local musician in Colorado Springs and had two children.
Colorado Springs police ask anyone with information about the case or who has knowledge of Hanlon’s whereabouts to call 719-444-7000 or Crime Stoppers at 719-634-STOP.
