Behavioral analyst charged for assaulting 9-year-old patient with autism has history of complaints

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The man facing charges after allegedly strangling a 9-year-old patient in August faced another abuse complaint roughly a year before the incident.

Brian Schaffer's behavioral analyst license was censured in Arizona in 2020 after an incident where Schaffer was "observed conducting overly aggressive and restrictive behavior" with a four-year-old boy with autism, according to meeting notes from the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners. The meeting notes also indicate that he was placed on leave and then fired from his position following the incident.

The board stated in an agreement that the reason they censured his license, rather than taking more serious action, is that he promised to leave the state and notify the board if he wanted to work as a behavior analyst in Arizona in the future.

Roughly a year later, he began working as a behavior analyst in Colorado Springs. Due to the prior complaint being made to a state agency in Arizona, it's unclear if his new employer was aware of his state license status in Arizona before hiring him.

According to arrest documents, less than two weeks after his hire, someone called the Colorado Springs Police Department to report child abuse at Schaffer's new place of work.

Police report that a nine-year-old boy with autism told officers Schaffer threw him across the room at the therapy facility and choked him for roughly five seconds. The boy reported feeling terrified and "stated that he thought he was going to die during the time Brian had his hands on his neck." The report also shows that the boy told police Schaffer repeatedly called him a "brat."

Schaffer's coworkers told police they saw finger marks and scratches on the boy's neck.

Around two weeks after the Colorado Springs incident, Schaffer went back to Arizona and asked the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners if he could begin working as again a Behavior Analyst in Arizona. During a meeting, they discussed his initial incident with the four-year-old boy and decided he could begin working again, but he would have conditions. His license would be under probation for a year, he would have to complete additional education, and he would have to work with a mentor professional to provide him guidance. It doesn't appear that the Arizona Board was aware of the pending investigation into Schaffer's misconduct in Colorado.

Roughly a month after he was cleared to work again in Arizona, Colorado Springs Police officially filed an arrest warrant, charging him with two felony counts of assault against an at-risk person. The victim's parent then reached out to the board in Arizona, prompting them to officially suspend his license.

When KRDO asked CSPD about the more than two-month delay in filing the arrest warrant following the alleged assault, they said they had to get probable cause before making the arrest and that's how long the investigation took in this case.

Schaffer was taken into custody on October 28th and he posted bail on October 29th. His Colorado court dates have yet to be scheduled.