Colorado shooter said 'no more baby parts' after arrest

"No more baby parts": Those were the words allegedly spoken by the man accused of entering a Planned Parenthood facility and opening fire in Colorado as he was being arrested on Friday, NBC News and other media outlets reported.

The 57-year-old was apprehended by Colorado Springs law enforcement after a five-hour standoff at the family planning center that left three people dead, including one police officer, and nine people injured.

His words were an apparent reference to the abortion services provided by some Planned Parenthood centers, suggesting a possible motive for the shooting.

Questions about the suspect

Not much is known about the accused, a South Carolina native who is due to appear in court on Monday. He has been described by neighbors as a recluse. According to the Associated Press news agency, some who knew him claimed he stashed food in the woods and shared conspiracy theories about government surveillance.

"We don't have any information on this individual's mentality, or his ideas or ideology," said Colorado Springs police Lieutenant Catherine Buckley during a press conference on Friday.

Authorities still have yet to verify a motive for the shooting.

Divisive issue

Even before the comments made during his arrest were released to the public, there was speculation the attack was motivated by anti-abortion sentiment.

Though abortion has been legal across the United States since 1973, it remains a controversial issue, especially for religious conservatives.

For this reason, Planned Parenthood, which has 700 clinics around the country and offers abortions as one of its services, has often been vilified by the Republican Party.

According to the National Abortion Federation, at least eight employees at clinics providing abortions have been killed since 1977.

blc/jlw (Reuters, AFP, AP)