CSPD officers involved in De’Von Bailey shooting return to duty

While the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office is still examining the evidence in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old De’Von Bailey, the two Colorado Springs police officers involved have been placed back on duty.

Sgt. Alan Van’t Land and Officer Blake Evenson were no longer on administrative leave after the Aug. 3 shooting, according to Colorado Springs police. The department didn’t confirm whether or not they were on restricted duty.

In response, supporters of Bailey’s family announced that a news conference would be taking place outside of the Police Operations Center at 3 p.m. WATCH below:

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that it had finished the investigation into the pair’s shooting of Bailey, and the report was turned over to the district attorney’s office. A spokesperson for the DA’s office said it typically takes 90-120 days to review these kinds of cases.

Bailey and another man were being questioned for an alleged armed robbery near Memorial Park on Aug. 3. The officers told the two men to keep their hands up while they searched for weapons, but before an officer could check Bailey, he took off running.

Bailey was shot four times while running away from Van’t Land and Evenson. A body camera video released Thursday showed that Bailey was holding something in his waistband while running, and officers quickly fired. After Bailey was brought to the ground and handcuffed, officers found what they identified as a gun between his legs.

We’ll have more on the protest tonight on KRDO NewsChannel 13 and on KRDO.com.

Previous Story: What Colorado law says about deadly force shooting investigations (Krystal Story)

The fates of two Colorado Springs police officers involved in the shooting of a 19-year-old are now in the hands of the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s office turned over their investigation of the De’Von Bailey shooting to District Attorney Dan May, who will decide if the two officers will face charges.

Colorado Law addresses deadly force, and that’s what prosecutors will be using to measure their decision.

Police body camera footage revealed a 911 call made prior to the shooting.

An unidentified reporting party told the dispatcher he had been robbed at gunpoint.

The transcript reads in part, “then one of the guys started hitting me and I fall down to the ground and the other guy pulls out the gun, and he’s like, you better tell what in your pockets.”

That information was passed onto the responding officers. The dispatcher tells one of the officers, “the one with the goatee is going to be the one with the gun.”

Colorado statute 18-1-707 (1) (I) says police are justified to use deadly force on a person if he or she, “has committed or attempted to commit a felony involving the use or threatened use of a deadly weapon.”

The footage shows police approaching two suspects that match the description from the dispatcher.

It can be heard over Sgt. Alan Van’t Land’s camera. He asks the two men, “So we got a report of two people, similar descriptions, possibly having a gun. Alright? So, don’t reach for your waists. We’re gonna just check and make sure that you don’t have a weapon. Alright?”

As Van’t Land and officer Blake Evenson start to approach the two men, De’Von Bailey runs away, and seconds later, police open fire.

Colorado statute 18-1-707 (1)(a) says it is justified if it is “to effect an arrest or to prevent the escape from custody of an arrested person…”