Murder Suspect Kills Himself After Standoff

A man wanted for the murder of his ex-girlfriend in Colorado shot and killed himself after a police standoff at a Logan Square building, officials said Friday. 

At least 30 police cars responded to the scene of the barricade situation, near the intersection of Kimball and Fullerton avenues, police said.

Police said that on Tuesday night in a suburb of Denver, 35-year-old James Martin followed his ex-girlfriend, 34-year-old Amber Cremeens, after she left the gym. When she realized that he was following her, she called her current boyfriend, who then called 911.

The boyfriend tells a 911 dispatcher that the ex-boyfriend "has been stalking the hell out of her."

"He will not leave her alone," Cremeens' boyfriend tells the dispatcher. He is identified only as Alex in the call.

According to the 911 tapes, Martin pulled up next to her and tried running her off the road.

"He can't get you if you keep driving, Amber," the boyfriend tells Cremeens.

Moments later, Cremeens is heard screaming.

"He's trapping you?" the boyfriend asks, and then, "He's trying to run you off the road?" before losing the call.

A subsequent caller to the 911 dispatcher reports a car accident and a shooting in the area where Cremeens said she was being chased.

Wheat Ridge, Colo., police said Cremeens' car was run off the road before she was shot inside it.

Police said Cremeens dated Martin for about eight years until August and that he exhibited "stalking behavior" toward her.

Martin's neighbors told The Denver Post Friday that he had showed them three guns he had bought to protect himself from neighborhood gangs. Martin had reportedly told friends he and Cremeens had made up and he was excited about a possible reunion.

Martin left the Denver area after the incident and headed east toward the Chicago area, police said.

Just after 4:30 Friday afternoon, officers said they noticed a vehicle matching the description of Martin's and followed him.  Police said he took off on foot and barricaded himself in the front vestibule of the apartment building.

After a nearly three-hour standoff, with several failed attempts at communicating with Martin, he shot and killed himself, police said.
 
Authorities have not confirmed the man in the Logan Square building was Martin; however, the standoff and death occurred at the residence of one of his family members and that his vehicle was found nearby, police said.

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