District Attorney’s office says officer involved shooting was justified

The Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s office says a Colorado Springs Police Officer was justified in shooting a man on May 30, 2014.

The incident happened just after 1 p.m. in the 6700 block of Holt Drive.

Police were called to the home to check on Chester Dean after someone called and reported that Dean was suicidal.

Police say that Dean fired his gun toward two witnesses as an officer was walking up to his house. They say Dean ignored commands to drop the weapon and fired another round in the direction of responding officers.

One of the officers returned fire, hitting Dean in the hip.

According to the D.A.’s office, Colorado Revised Statutes Section 18-1-707 provides that an officer is justified in using deadly force if he or she reasonably believes that it is necessary to defend himself or a third person from what he reasonably believes to be the imminent use of deadly physical force.

The D.A.’s office goes on to say that the facts and evidence from this investigation show that the officer who shot Dean acted reasonably at the time and that the shooting was justified.

Dean is facing several charges, including three counts of attempted first degree murder of a peace officer. He is being held at the El Paso County Jail on $500,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on July 16.