Arrest in shooting at youth football match | News

One person has been arrested for allegedly killing a man at a youth football game on the south side of Colorado Springs earlier this month.

Antivius Crowder, 31, was arrested Friday on suspicion of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Donte Maurice Rice on Oct. 5, according to a press release from the Colorado Springs Police Department.

According to an arrest affidavit for Crowder obtained by The Gazette, the shooting occurred in the parking lot of a Pop Warner Youth Football game taking place at Atlas Prep, in the 1600 block of South Murray Boulevard.

The affidavit states that Crowder and Rice got into an argument in the parking lot, which led to Crowder going to his car to retrieve a gun and returning to Rice. The affidavit states Rice punched Crowder in the face after Crowder returned from the car and then immediately tried to leave before being shot by Crowder.

Rice, 29, was dead when police arrived on the scene.

Crowder was identified by police after several individuals at the scene identified him by name or by his street name “AC.” Anonymous tips about the shooting alleged that Crowder and Rice were close associates but had an argument “possibly due to Mr. Crowder ‘snagging’ someone else,” the affidavit said.

The affidavit states that Crowder and Rice were co-defendants in a pair of commercial burglary cases in 2014 and 2015.

Court records show that Crowder pleaded guilty in 2015 to one count of second-degree burglary and one count of theft and served six years in the Department of Corrections. In 2017, Crowder pleaded guilty to money laundering and second-degree burglary and received a two-year sentence in the Department of Corrections, according to court records.

The affidavit states that Crowder is alleged to have ties to several local gangs, including the Crips.

Police said at the time that the shooting did not appear to be related to the football game or the school, Atlas Prep, where the teams played. The affidavit states the Crowder was in the area with a woman, whose vehicle was used to flee the scene, and two small children.

The affidavit states that police obtained a search warrant for the apartment where Crowder was believed to be staying several days after the shooting. The affidavit, filed Oct. 10, does not explain why it took more than two weeks for Crowder to be arrested after he was identified as a suspect.

Court records show Crowder is in custody at the El Paso County Jail on a $1 million bond. He is scheduled to make his first appearance in Colorado’s 4th Judicial District Court on November 6.