Planned Parenthood shooting latest in history of violence against clinics

Tributes rest under a sculpture on University of Colorado-Colorado Springs' campus for fallen officer Garrett Swasey, who was among those killed in Friday's deadly shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP / David Zalubowski)

LOS ANGELES -- The fatal shootings at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado are the latest in a long history of violence at clinics that provide abortions and doctors who perform the procedure.

Police aren't saying what motivated Friday's attack that left three dead, but a law enforcement official said the suspect said "no more baby parts" after his arrest. The official could not elaborate on Robert Lewis Dear's comment and spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation.

The attack comes as Planned Parenthood, a non-profit national organization, faces criticism from anti-abortion lawmakers and renewed protests outside clinics since a group of abortion opponents released videos they claimed showed the organization negotiating fetal tissue sales.

WHAT ARE THE ORIGINS OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD?

Planned Parenthood has been a polarizing organization ever since its precursor, a clinic in Brooklyn, New York, was founded in 1916 by pioneering birth-control advocate Margaret Sanger.

It provides a range of health services, including cancer screenings, testing for HIV and contraception, but its role as the No. 1 abortion provider in the United States has for many years made it the focus of violence, boycotts, protests and attempted sting operations by anti-abortion activists.

WHAT VIOLENCE HAVE ABORTION CLINICS OR PROVIDERS FACED?

Since 1977, there have been eight murders, 17 attempted murders, 42 bombings and 186 arsons and thousands of other incidents, including vandalism, according to the National Abortion Foundation, a trade group for abortion providers.

Before Friday, the most recent killing happened in 2009 in a Kansas church where Dr. George Tiller, who performed late-term abortions, was slain while serving as an usher.

Planned Parenthood clinics in New Hampshire, California and Washington have been targeted by vandals and arsonists since a new wave of anti-abortion protests began this summer.

WHY HAS PLANNED PARENTHOOD FACED RENEWED CRITICISM?

The campaign against Planned Parenthood has intensified since July, when anti-abortion activists who posed as representatives of a biomedical firm began releasing a series of undercover videos.

They sought to negotiate the purchase of fetal organs from Planned Parenthood personnel. Planned Parenthood has denied seeking any payments beyond legally permitted reimbursement of the costs for donating the organs to researchers.

Citing the videos, Republicans in Congress have been seeking to cut off federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

WHAT IMPACT HAVE THE VIDEOS HAD AT COLORADO CLINICS?

One of the videos released by the California-based Center for Medical Progress showed Dr. Savita Ginde, vice-president of Denver-based Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, discussing prices of aborted fetal remains, the centre said. Planned Parenthood said that video and the others were misleading and deceptively edited.

Since the videos began airing, threats against abortion clinics nationwide have spiked, said Vicki Saporta, president and CEO of the National Abortion Federation.

WHAT KIND OF SECURITY DOES THE COLORADO SPRINGS CLINIC HAVE?

The gunman broke into the clinic after a security guard had finished his shift, but staff followed safety plans perfectly, which probably saved many lives, Cowart said.

A receptionist, who heard gunfire outside the building, alerted others to keep away. The suspect broke into the reception area but was stopped by a locked door leading to the main part of the clinic.

The facility had live security cameras that allowed Planned Parenthood to share information with police about what was happening inside.