CSPD officer involved shooting ruled justified by DA following 2025 shooting in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Springs police officers' use of deadly physical force in the Aug. 22, 2025, shooting off Branding Iron Circle has been ruled as justified by the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s (DA) Office.
According to the DA on Aug. 22, police were working to locate Cole Vannucci, who had an active arrest warrant from a domestic violence case. The DA says that Vannucci had been charged with first-degree kidnapping in that case, as well as a history of violent offenses that police had been familiarized with.
The FLOCK system alerted police that Vannucci was at a fast-food restaurant. Police followed him to the 1100 block of Branding Iron Circle, where they blocked his car to prevent him from leaving, officials say.
The DA says that the investigation found that after police blocked Vannucci, he refused to follow multiple orders from law enforcment and put his vehicle in reverse, which led to police breaking the back window of his car. According to the DA, Vannucci then pulled out what "appeared to be a rifle" and pointed the weapon at the police.
CSPD police officer fired a total of 15 rounds, and Vannucci was struck eight times and died on the scene, according to the DA.
An autopsy found that Vannucci died of multiple gunshot wounds and had multiple illicit substances in his system.
The DA found that the officers involved "believed Mr. Vannucci posed an imminent danger to themselves, to other officers, and members of the public, of death or serious bodily injury."
The DA says CSPD made an effort to de-escalate the situation before deadly force was utilized and found the use of force justified.
Below is the full report from the DA:
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