Person Shot Useless by Officers Used Female As ‘Human Shield,’ Denver Police Say

A person who was killed by officers in Denver at the weekend had applied a woman as a human shield, police stated.

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A man fatally shot by police in Denver, Colorado, had used a woman as a “human protect,” law enforcement reported.

Christopher Escobedo, 33, was shot useless in the 1500 block of North Meade Avenue at all over 4.30 a.m. on Saturday—one of three men killed in law enforcement shootings in the town in a 7 days.

In the course of a information meeting on Wednesday, Lt. Matt Clark, of the Denver Law enforcement Department’s Big Crimes Division, provided specifics about what led up to Escobedo’s loss of life.

Clark reported an Adams County deputy experienced noticed Escobedo’s car or truck in the parking great deal of a store with no obvious license plates.

Deputies followed the auto and initiated a traffic halt shortly soon after 4 a.m. Escobedo at first pulled above, but then drove off as a deputy exited his car or truck to method him, Clark stated.

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Clark reported Escobedo then shot at deputies a number of instances in the course of a large-pace chase long lasting 14 minutes.

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“Shortly just after the pursuit was initiated, the driver flashed a handgun in the air with his still left hand out the driver’s door window,” he said. “He then pointed it back again out the window toward the deputies and fired a number of photographs.”

At a single issue, a “frantic” female who was in the vehicle with Escobedo identified as 911 and claimed Escobedo threatened to eliminate her if the pursuing deputies did not again off. The dispatcher read a male screaming throughout the call, in accordance to Clark.

Escobedo inevitably crashed his car immediately after Adams County deputies deployed cease sticks, deflating the vehicle’s tires.

Right after he and the woman exited the car or truck at Conejos Place and Meade Avenue, Escobedo allegedly held a gun to the woman’s head and used her as a human protect.

“As she was making an attempt to get away from the vehicle, the male grabbed her and he continued to maintain control of her by wrapping his remaining arm all over her upper body and neck though holding the handgun to her head with his proper hand,” Clark explained.

“The male positioned himself in between her and the officers, working with her as a human shield.”

Escobedo refused to comply with verbal commands and manufactured “suicidal statements,” according to Clark.

An Adams County deputy shot Escobedo, primary him to fall to the floor and making it possible for the female to escape.

But Escobedo was nevertheless moving, Clark reported, and maintained possession of his handgun.

Clark reported when he pointed it towards officers, four supplemental officers—two Adams County deputies and two Denver law enforcement officers—fired their weapons at Escobedo.

They right away referred to as for an ambulance and supplied professional medical aid, but Escobedo was pronounced lifeless at the scene.

The woman, who was not discovered, was unharmed. The officers at the scene had been not hurt possibly.

Investigators recovered 51 shell casings at the scene of the taking pictures, Clark mentioned. They also recovered a loaded, semi-automated handgun as very well as an more magazine with ammunition.

Clark reported there is no evidence Escobedo shot his weapon all through the standoff, but investigators removed four shell casings from his car or truck.

None of the five officers concerned in the incident have been included in a police shooting before.

The Denver law enforcement officers were being putting on overall body cameras, which ended up activated at the time of the taking pictures. They are on modified responsibility, Clark extra.

Adams County deputies are not outfitted with physique cameras.

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