Colorado state rep JoAnn Windholz, from Denver, blamed Planned Parenthood for the Friday's shooting that left three dead in Colorado Springs

A Republican state lawmaker from Denver blamed Planned Parenthood for a deadly shootout last week at a clinic in Colorado Springs.

Rep JoAnn Windholz wrote in a Facebook post on Monday that Planned Parenthood is 'the real culprit' for violence.

'Violence is never the answer, but we must start pointing out who is the real culprit,' Windholz wrote on her personal Facebook page.

The first-term politician called Planned Parenthood the 'true instigator of this violence' because it provides abortions.

'Violence begets violence,' Windholz wrote, concluding with a plea to pray for women who get abortions and doctors who perform them.

The lawmaker confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday that the posting is accurate but said she had nothing more to say about it.

Three people were killed on Friday when 57-year-old Robert Dear opened fire at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs. The clinic is not in Windholz's district.

Dear reportedly made remarks including 'No more baby parts' during questioning following Friday's shooting.

Windholz's comments sparked angry backlash from supporters of abortion rights.

'She basically tried to justify the violence against (abortion) providers and Planned Parenthood, and there is no justification,' said Vicki Saporta, president of the National Abortion Federation, which represents about 400 abortion providers.

Robert Dear, 57, reportedly made statements to law enforcement officers about Barack Obama and comments such as ‘no more baby parts’ in reference to Planned Parenthood during questioning after the shootout

Dear opened fire in the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood at about noon on Friday, and the siege lasted hours

Anti-abortion politicians can unwittingly incite violence, she said. 'You cannot ignite a firestorm of hate and then disingenuously stand back and say you have no role in the violence,' Saporta said.

Nine other people were wounded Friday during the hourslong siege.

Republican presidential candidates have had mixed responses to the shooting.

Mike Huckabee and Ben Carson called the shooting 'domestic terrorism' and a 'hate crime', while Carly Fiorina was at the other end of the spectrum, complaining that the murders were being used to 'demonize' the pro-life movement.

Donald Trump called the shooter an 'extremist' who was a 'mentally disturbed person' during a Meet the Press interview on Sunday