Two civilians and one officer have been killed in an attack at the local branch of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs Friday afternoon.
The mayor of Colorado Springs said on Twitter that police have detained the suspected gunman accused of opening fire inside the clinic.
Nine others were wounded including four other officers following the incident that spanned several hours.
WATCH: 11 people transferred to hospital including 5 police officers after gunman opens fire at Planned Parenthood building in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The local police and fire department tweeted at approximately 2 p.m. ET that emergency crews were responding to calls of an active shooter.
A witness told The Gazette of Colorado Springs she heard roughly 20 shots in less than five minutes and saw an officer fall to the ground during the shooting.
Denise Speller, manager of a nearby hair salon, said she saw another officer rush to the aid of the officer who fell.
Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs has confirmed that six patients have been admitted.
Police Lt. Catherine Buckley said she doesn’t know how the civilians were injured.
A photo from the scene showed officers hiding behind their vehicles with their weapons drawn.
Colorado Springs police tweeted that the shooting took place on Centennial Boulevard. Traffic was shut down in both directions on that road and customers at nearby stores were told to stay put in a nearby grocery store and shops.
Vicki Cowart, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains, said the situation was still developing and all the details were not immediately known.
“At this time, our concern is for the safety of our patients, staff and law enforcement,” Cowart said in a statement.
Joan Motolinia said his sister, Jennifer, called him while she was hiding behind a table inside the clinic as a gunman was shooting inside the building.
He said he heard a lot of gunshots in the background.
“She was telling me to take care of her babies because she could get killed,” Motolinia said, of the mother of three.
Colorado Springs has more than 400,000 residents and is located roughly an hour’s drive south of Denver.
READ MORE: A history of attacks on Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood is a non-profit organization that provides reproductive health services, including abortions, in the United States, Canada and internationally. Their clinics have been targeted by anti-abortion activists in several violent incidents.
*With files from the Associated Press
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