Robert Dear Dies: Controversial Figure in Colorado Clinic Shooting Passes Away

Robert Dear, charged with the 2015 Colorado abortion clinic shooting, has died in a prison medical center. Deemed mentally unfit for trial, the 67-year-old's death is reportedly linked to natural causes. Prosecutors had sought his conviction for the attack, but legal proceedings were prolonged.

Robert Dear, recognized for the 2015 incident at a Colorado abortion clinic that left three dead and nine injured, has died in a prison medical facility. The 67-year-old faced substantial delays in legal proceedings due to repeated mental incompetency rulings.

Dear's death, occurring at the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Missouri, was announced by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. According to bureau spokesperson Randilee Giamusso, the death is "preliminarily linked to natural causes." He was deemed unfit to stand trial for his actions during the five-hour siege at the Planned Parenthood clinic.

Authorities aimed to restore his mental fitness for trial, even attempting forced medication. However, defense experts were skeptical of its effectiveness due to Dear's untreated psychosis. Despite attempts to prosecute over nearly a decade, Dear's legal journey remained largely stalled.

(With inputs from agencies.)