Iraqi Refugee Convict Accused of Trying to Murder Colorado Police Officer

A refugee from Iraq living in the United States has been arrested and charged with attempted murder after shooting a Colorado Springs, Colorado police officer.

Karrar Noaman Al Khammasi, a 31-year-old Iraqi refugee, is accused of leaving officer Cem Duzel in critical condition following a shootout. Duzel is a five year veteran of the Colorado Springs Police Department, according to the Denver Post.

Duzel was one of the officers who responded to a call about the Iraqi refugee allegedly firing gunshots. When the officers arrived, Khammasi allegedly began firing shots at the police, hitting Duzel in the process and leaving him critically injured.

Khammasi entered the U.S. as a refugee in December 2012, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials confirmed to the Denver Post.

The Iraqi refugee has a long criminal record already in the U.S., including being convicted of felony trespassing, being arrested for felony possession of a weapon, parole violation, and misdemeanor assault, among other charges.

Khammasi previously was sentenced to more than a year in prison after being convicted for felony trespassing.

Meanwhile, the Duzel family has asked the public for prayers. Lt. Howard Black with the Colorado Springs Police Department told the Denver Post that this is a “difficult time for his family, his fellow officers and support staff and the community as a whole.”

As Breitbart News has reported, the U.S. has permanently resettled more than 1.7 million foreign nationals and refugees through a variety of humanitarian programs since 2008. This enormous flow of humanitarian migrants is larger than the population of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – a city with more than 1.5 million residents.

Every year, American taxpayers pay nearly $870 million on welfare for foreign refugees who are resettled by the State Department. The cost per refugee to American taxpayers is about $79,600 every year in the first five years that a refugee is living in the country.