A 95-year-old man living at an assisted living facility in Colorado was arrested Wednesday after allegedly shooting an employee who owed him money, authorities said.
Officers responded to Legacy Assisted Living in Lafayette, Colo. around 7:15 a.m. on a call of a shooting, Lafayette police said on Twitter.
Inside the lobby of the center, they found an employee wounded from a gunshot. The suspect, identified as 95-year-old Okie Payne, was located in his room and then taken into custody, cops said.
The employee was taken to a local hospital where he died.
Payne allegedly shot the victim in the head after arguing about money the man owed him, according to local reports that cited police.
Legacy Assisted Living Center at Lafayette said it was “devastated” by the incident.
A couple embrace outside the Legacy Assisted Living at Lafayette care facility on Feb. 3, 2021 in Lafayette, Colo. AP“Our thoughts and prayers are with our employee and their family, as well as our residents and staff who are understandably shaken by what took place,” the facility said in a statement to KUSA.
“Our chief concerns at this time are providing comfort and care to all that have been impacted,” the statement continued. “As it is an active investigation, we will not be commenting further on this manner.”
Payne has been charged with first-degree murder and two counts of felony menacing.
