Deputies Disciplined In Deadly Shooting
TARGET 13 is learning three deputies involved in the shooting death at the Chief Motel on South Nevada Avenue will face disciplinary action, despite findings by Colorado Springs Police Department and the El Paso County District Attorney?s Office saying the deputy-related shooting was justified.
Sources told TARGET 13 that three deputies involved in the shooting death of Christen Vargas, 27, were disciplined in the deadly shooting. One was suspended without pay for 30 hours, but that was later reduced to 20 hours after he appealed the decision.
Two other deputies will get letters of reprimands in their personnel files.
Lt. Lari Sevene, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Spokeswoman, said the sheriff’s office agrees with the findings of the District Attorney and Colorado Springs Police, but want to see if there were any policy violations by the deputies.
“Those concerns are in respect to proper office safety precautions and measures taken,” Sevene told TARGET 13.
The deputies were part of a specialized unit known as CRU or Crime Reduction Unit.
As TARGET 13 first reported in September CRU members were temporarily reassigned after the deadly shooting and El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa temporary put the unit on hiatus.
TARGET 13 has since been told deputies in that unit have been permanently reassigned, but Sevene said it was part of the normal rotation and had nothing to do with the shooting.
The deputies were at the Chief Motel on Sept. 13 to search for a wanted person, according to Colorado Springs Police, who investigated the shooting.
According to internal documents obtained by TARGET 13 Investigator Tak Landrock, Deputy Marcus Miller violated several policies and procedures.
The internal documents dated Oct. 17 from Undersheriff Larry Kastner states Miller placed himself in jeopardy by the position he chose to take in relation to the vehicle. It also states, ?You drew your weapon in a situation which did not initially constitute the amount of force.?
The internal affairs investigation also found Miler failed to notify Sheriff’s Office dispatchers about approaching Vargas and the three other occupants in her car.
The Sheriff?s Office also found that Miller failed to maintain a ?constant visual surveillance on the occupants in the vehicle in the vehicle and failed to properly position yourself according to office Policy and Procedure.?
“Sheriff Maketa is adamant about paying close scrutiny to those types of situations and obviously anytime there is a significant use of force that has occurred, (or) anytime there is a life taken, it’s absolutely something we pay close attention too and make sure we look over everything with a close eye,” said Sevene.
Investigators told TARGET 13 the night of the shooting that while at the motel the deputies contacted a grey Hyundai in the parking lot. Police said Vargas tried to drive away and a deputy fired one round from his weapon.
Vargas was able to escape but was later found dead at a hospital parking garage.
The El Paso County Coroner’s Office completed an autopsy and ruled the manner of death a homicide due to a single gunshot wound. Police said at the time, ?for purposes of clarification, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office will rule a death a homicide anytime a person dies as the result of the actions of another person, i.e. “the killing of a human being by another human being.”
The EPSO is still conducting the internal investigation, but told TARGET 13 that the disciplinary actions are complete. The only part still being decided are the administrative aspects of the investigation.
