Colorado Springs man threatens officer with a knife, is shot by Alamosa Police Department
ALAMOSA, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Alamosa Police Department says a Colorado Springs man threatened one of their officers with a knife and was subsequently shot this week.
According to police, Joseph Tafoya, age 43, was in Alamosa visiting his girlfriend on Dec. 8. Police say that they were called out for a domestic violence incident. The Alamosa Police Department says he left the home before they arrived, and was later found in an open field with a knife.
"Following unsuccessful attempts to de-escalate the situation and compel Tafoya to surrender the knife, Officer Steven Bagwell deployed his taser," read a release from the Alamosa Police Department.
The police department says Tafoya charged at a different officer with the knife, and he was shot by Officer Mollee Heeney.
According to police, Tafoya was taken to the hospital. Police say he was recently released from prison on an aggravated assault charge and was out on parole.
He now faces the following charges, and will be arrested after his release from the hospital, the police department says:
- Criminal attempt: first-degree murder of a peace officer (2 Counts)
- Assault in the first degree (2 Counts)
- Menacing (2 Counts)
- Assault in the second degree, domestic violence
- Assault in the third degree, domestic violence
- Domestic violence
- Child abuse
The officer who shot Tafoya has been put on administrative leave pending the investigation, which is standard procedure in Colorado.
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