Man who was shot by Springs officers in November dies
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office says a man who was shot by Colorado Springs Police officers during a confrontation in November has died from his injuries. An autopsy is pending.
The shooting was ruled justified by the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
An arrest affidavit says that on the evening of November 10, officers Mathew Peterson and Derek Wilson were responding to a report of a domestic disturbance on Lanagan Street. Neighbors reported a man was walking down the street drunk and carrying a rifle.
Investigators say that when the officers encountered Ott, he verbally and physically threatened them with the rifle. Both officers ordered Ott to drop the rifle. Ott raised the rifle and assumed a shooting stance with the rifle at his shoulder pointed toward Officer Peterson. Officers Peterson and Wilson then fired their weapons, striking Ott.
The rifle was a loaded air rifle mounted with a scope. El Paso County Sheriff’s office says there was no indication, such as an orange safety tip, that would have suggested to the officers that this firearm was anything other than an actual rifle.
The Colorado Springs Police Department does not currently have body cameras and the vehicles the officers drove were not equipped with dash cameras.
