Body cam released: Pueblo family files wrongful death lawsuit against Pueblo County after 2022 officer-involved shooting

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO)--On February 22, 2022, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office confirmed there was an officer-involved shooting in the parking lot of Liberty Point Int. School in Pueblo West.

New body came video is now revealing what led up to the deadly officer-involved shooting.

Last year, the sheriff's office said they received a report of a suspicious person on school property. The sheriff's office said the suspect, 32-year-old Richard Ward, immediately engaged deputies and wasn't obeying verbal commands, and wasn't complying with keeping his hands out of his pockets. The sheriff's office said deputies tried to handcuff the suspect, but he wouldn't comply and deputies tried wrestling him to the ground.

Last year, in an on-camera interview with the previous Pueblo County Chief, Dave Lucero, he said Ward was reaching for the deputy's gun.

However, the Wards family filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday morning because they believe the deputies on scene used an excessive amount of force. The lawsuit names Pueblo County and seven members of the sheriff's office.

According to the Ward family, Richard Ward was waiting to pick up his brother, sitting in the back seat of his family's SUV. The Ward family's attorneys said he got out to stretch his legs and smoke a cigarette. When he returned, they say he accidentally got into another person's car. A person did call 911 on Ward. Pueblo deputy Charles McWhorter arrived on scene and talked to Ward in the backseat of his mother's SUV.

In the body cam video, McWhorter touches Ward's arm and asks him why he's acting strange. Ward responds that cops make him "nervous" and he "has anxiety". Ward explains to the officers that he has had bad encounters with police in Pueblo before. McWhorter then asks for Ward's ID and as he reaches for his identification, Ward slips something in his mouth. His family attorneys said Ward had been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and was prescribed medicine for it.

In the body cam video, McWhorter then demands to know what it is and drags Ward to the floor. They tussle on the ground for around 20 seconds. During this time, deputies said to stop resisting multiple times. McWhorter then shot Ward 3-times. Ward was unarmed.

The body cam footage shows both deputies on scene not providing medical aid to Ward for nearly 3 minutes. He died on scene.

The deputies were cleared last year by the 10th Judicial District Attorney, but Ward's family says this is yet another senseless kill by aggressive law enforcement.

KRDO reached out to the Pueblo County Sheriff's office and they said they have no comment at this time since they have not seen the lawsuit.