Accused Planned Parenthood shooter: ‘I’m a warrior for the babies’

The man accused of gunning down several people outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs this month reportedly called himself “a warrior for the babies” at a courtroom on Wednesday.

Robert Dear, 57, shouted the remarks during a hearing in which he was to be formally charged with the murder of three people last month.

{mosads}His outburst, which was reported by CBS and the Colorado Independent, came during a debate on whether cameras should be allowed in the courtroom.

“I’m guilty — there’s no trial — I’m a warrior for the babies,” Dear shouted, according to reporters, with his wrists and and ankles shackled in the El Paso County courtroom.

“You’ll never know the amount of blood I saw in that place,” Dear then added, according to another CBS reporter.

Accused CO Springs Planned Parenthood shooter blurts out during hearing: "I'm guilty– there's no trial– I'm a warrior for the babies."

— Corey Hutchins (@CoreyHutchins) December 9, 2015

Robert Dear: in court: "You'll never know the amount of blood I saw in that place" after saying "I'm a warrior for the babies" #ppshooting

— Rick Sallinger (@ricksallinger) December 9, 2015

The anti-abortion comments offer the strongest proof yet that Dear specifically targeted doctors and patients at Planned Parenthood because of his own political views.

So far, federal and state investigators have declined to discuss the motive for Dear’s attack.

Abortion rights supporters have tied the shooting to the sting campaign against Planned Parenthood this summer.

The campaign claimed that the health organization had been profiting from selling aborted fetus tissue to medical research companies. The claims were not proven despite five congressional investigations into the videos.

Multiple media outlets have reported that Dear has made anti-abortion comments in the past, and that he specifically mentioned “baby parts” after the shooting. The city’s mayor, John Suthers, has said that the motive was made clear when he decided to target Planned Parenthood.

Vicki Cowart, CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, released a statement Wednesday condemning the sharp political attacks that she said have contributed to violence against abortion providers.

“We know that words matter. It is time to put an end to the dangerous rhetoric that has permeated our political conversations. Enough is enough — this violence, whether inflicted with words or with weapons, cannot become our normal,” Cowart said.