Deputy involved shooting at Springs Hobby Lobby ruled justified

The 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office has cleared an El Paso County Sheriff’s Deputy of any wrongdoing in a shooting that happened earlier this month.

The shooting of Brian Lowe, 48, has been ruled justified.

An arrest affidavit says that Lowe told authorities he was on a “death mission” when the shooting happened on the evening of May 8.

Sgt. Shane Mitchell and Deputy Keith Duda were looking for Lowe at the Hobby Lobby in the 500 block of S. 8th Street, and that’s where they found him.

The affidavit says Lowe told a detective that he wanted the deputies to shoot him.

The affidavit says that Lowe told the detective that he got a stun gun away from one of the deputies during a struggle inside the store and that he was trying to stun the deputies with it, but that he was unable to figure out how to make it work. It says Lowe told the detective that he didn’t blame the deputy for shooting him.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said that Mitchell pulled the trigger.

Mitchell and Duda were put on administrative leave following the shooting but they have since returned to work.

Lowe is being held at the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center. The DA’s office says the following charges have been filed against Lowe:

2 Counts: 1st Degree Assault – Threaten Peace Office w/weapon (F-3)
2 Counts: 2nd Degree Assault-Peace Officer (F-4)
2 Counts: Felony Menacing (F-5)
1 Count: Use of a Stun Gun (F-5)
2 Counts: Resisting Arrest (M-2)
1 Count: Carrying a Concealed Weapon (M-2)