KUSA - More people are starting to wonder if the deadly rampage at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood Friday that left three people dead and nine others wounded was domestic terrorism.
"Well, certain it's -- it is a form of terrorism," Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado) said on CNN's State of the Union Sunday.
But just because an act is violent doesn't mean it qualifies as domestic terrorism, said former ATF Special Agent John Risenhoover. He has investigated domestic terrorism cases before. During his more than two decades with the agency, Risenhoover worked on the Oklahoma City bombing, which remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.
"One of the things that's really tough when you talk about domestic terrorism is you have to prove intent and motivation," Risenhoover said. "There has to be a goal. Usually political, usually to influence government."
The United States government defines domestic terrorism as activities with the following three characteristics:
- Involve acts dangerous to human life that violate federal or state law;
- Appear intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination. or kidnapping; and
- Occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the U.S.
Risenhoover says categorizing this crime as domestic terrorism in this case would be possible, but 9NEWS legal analyst Scott Robinson points out it's not an option on the state level.
"There is no Colorado domestic terrorism law," Robinson said. "We don't really define domestic terrorism."
Robinson echoed Risenhoover's assessment: the case could qualify, once a motive is clear.
"Is this an act of domestic terrorism? That's up to the listener to decide. But certainly, with multiple people injured and killed, and what could be a political motivation, it might well be," Robinson said.
The only way to charge the gunman under domestic terrorism would be to bring forth federal charges.
And, even if it does fit the definition, domestic terrorism doesn't carry any specific charge -- in other words, there's no crime of "domestic terrorism."
The U.S. Attorney for Colorado's spokesman told NBC News has they support the state investigation at this time.
(© 2015 KUSA)
