CSPD officers ruled justified in shooting near Fort Carson

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office says two Colorado Springs police officers were justified in killing an armed man near Fort Carson last November.

On November 4, Dean Trasente was killed in an officer-involved shooting near Fort Carson. According to CSPD, officers met a person in a Safeway parking lot at 6520 S. Academy Blvd., who reported a road rage incident involving a man in a light-colored Nissan Altima, who they said may have brandished a firearm.

According to police, CSPD Sergeant William Wingert located the vehicle and attempted to make contact with Trasente, but he fled the area.  

Police said Corporal Clinton Ford located Trasente's car near the intersection of Hwy 115 and Norad Road and followed toward Gate 2 of Fort Carson. According to police, Trasente made a U-turn in the middle of the road, facing Corporal Ford's cruiser, then got out of his car with what Ford says appeared to be a gun in his hand. Body camera footage showed Ford giving Trasente several commands to drop his weapon, but Trasente raised his gun aiming it directly at Corporal Ford.

According to Corporal Ford's testimony, he noticed that Trasente's gun may have had an orange tip, indicating that the gun may have been a toy, but he wasn't sure, so he didn't fire at Trasente.

Investigators said Officer Ashley D’Amour arrived on-scene and saw Trasente pointing his gun at Ford. She testified that she heard Trasente say something to the effect of “I’m not going back to jail.” Trasente lowered his gun, ran to Corporal Ford’s patrol car, got into the driver’s seat, and activated the emergency siren.

Ford said he holstered his handgun, drew his Taser, and attempted to stun Trasente, but the Taser deployment didn't work. Ford said that's when Trasente leaned out of the driver’s side of the patrol car and fired a gunshot at Corporal Ford.

Officer D’Amour fired one round through the front passenger side window and several other rounds through the passenger side of the front windshield. Trasente was struck multiple times and fell out of the driver’s side door onto the pavement.

The officers testified that Trasente was still in a position to shoot at officers, and gave several commands for him to drop the gun before shooting him again. Trasente died on-scene from seven gunshot wounds.

The 4th Judicial District of Colorado said Tuesday "after completing a thorough review of the facts and evidence the Office of the District Attorney, the 4th Judicial District of Colorado, has determined that the use of deadly physical force by both Corporal Clinton Ford and Officer Ashley D’Amour of the Colorado Springs Police Department was justified under the law of the State of Colorado."

In an interview with KRDO, DA spokesperson Howard Black said the officers tried everything possible before using their guns.

"The officers used tremendous restraint on whether or not to shoot," he said. "The officers were actually engaged with the subject pointing a weapon, still trying to work through not having to fire a round."