Colorado Springs police shooting in February near East Bijou ruled justified
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Springs police officers' use of deadly physical force in the Feb. 2 shooting near the 2600 block of Bijou Street has been ruled justified by the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s (DA) Office.
The DA's full review can be viewed below:
The DA states that Colorado Springs Officers Daniel Mork and Steven Milbert were on patrol in the 2600 block of Bijou Street. According to the DA, Officer Mork has been tracking drug and criminal activity at two locations in the area.
The DA says Officer Mork saw a man now identified as Michael Foster walk out of one of the homes that had been linked to illegal gaming.
According to the DA, Officer Mork noticed Foster because he matched the description of a suspect connected to a murder and kidnapping case. According to police, Foster was wearing a mask on a warm afternoon, which Officer Mork determined he might have been using to conceal his identity.
Officers continued to follow Foster, who the DA says was demonstrating avoidant behavior before eventually returning to the gaming site. Officers then learned that the suspect in the murder and kidnapping case had been arrested.
The DA says that Officer Mork decided to make contact with Foster due to the "suspicious nature of his
behavior and dress."
After officers began to approach Foster on foot, the DA says Foster began running and ignored commands to stop. According to the DA, Foster ran into an enclosed area where he turned to face Officer Mork with a handgun.
Officer Mork and Foster both fired their guns, says the DA. Officer Mork was shot in the leg, and Foster was shot in his right arm, say officials. Officer Milbert then entered the area and kicked Foster's gun out of reach before Foster got back on his feet, running from the scene.
Officer Milbert chased Foster, pushing him to the ground, according to the DA. Foster then grabbed for Officer Milbert's handgun. Officer Milbert then fired five shots at Foster, hitting him several times, says the DA.
Police say Foster was taken to the hospital, where he was treated before being released into the custody of the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
Foster is being charged with the following, according to CSPD.
- Attempted murder of a peace officer
- First-degree assault on a peace officer
- Two counts of resisting arrest
- Possession of a weapon by a previous offender
The DA found that both officers had reasonable grounds to believe Foster posed an immediate threat to themselves and others, finding that the use of deadly force was justified.
Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.
