Pueblo County deputy cleared in deadly March shooting of Jesse Cedillo
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — The Tenth Judicial District Attorney’s Office has cleared the deputy who shot and killed 20-year-old Jesse Cedillo after a reported carjacking.
It started on the morning of March 14th in the Mesa Junction neighborhood of Pueblo. The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office said they were pursuing Cedillo after an armed carjacking. During the pursuit, Deputy Jeffrey Alfonso said the suspect was armed.
Cellphone video captured by a neighbor shows Deputy Alfonso firing several shots at Cedillo while he is running down the driveway of a home on Quincy Street.
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The district attorney’s office said Deputy Alfonso and others were responding to a call about a car-jacking at the Pueblo Youth Services Center. They were told a woman was warming up her 2016 Nissan Versa when a Hispanic male with a goatee, wearing a black hoodie stole the car at gunpoint.
Deputy Mike Herrera saw the car near Midtown Shopping Center and tried to stop it, but it took off at a high rate of speed.
Later, Deputy Alfonso said the car crashed into a telephone pole at Pitkin Avenue and Grant Street. Deputy Alfonso and Recruit-Deputy Dominic Montoya approached the man in the driver's seat of the car.
The suspect, later identified as Jesse Cedillo, ran from the deputies, according to investigators. Deputy Alfonso lost sight of Cedillo and started clearing nearby houses.
Deputy Alfonso found Cedillo hiding under a white truck at a home on Quincy Street. After radioing for help, Deputy Alfonso gave Cedillo commands to show his hands.
Cedillo got out from under the truck and ran towards Deputy Alfonso. Cedillo had a pistol in his right hand and he started to raise it as he was running at Deputy Alfonso, according to the district attorney’s office.
Deputy Alfonso then fired his weapon and kept shooting until Cedillo stopped moving. Deputy Alfonso fired a total of 15 rounds.
The 10th Judicial District’s Critical Incident Team investigated the shooting. Based on the investigation, the District Attorney J.E. Chostner said Deputy Alfonso appears to be justified in his use of deadly force based on the threat Cedillo posed to him.
No charges will be filed against Deputy Alfonso.
