Body camera footage captured a dramatic and frightening spring shootout between Colorado police and a rifle-toting attempted murder suspect who ambushed and serioulsy wounded three officers he was fatally shot.
Roughly 8o shots were fired by the 35-year-old suspect—identified as Brian Soto—in separate exchanges as he tried to flee Pueblo police on March 18, The Pueblo Chieftain reports. In an August Critical Incident Team letter, the 10th judicial district attorney cleared the officers of wrongdoing in the case, determining that their actions were justified.
The horrific incident began when Pueblo Police Officers Devin Valdez and Steven Gardner followed up a report of a sighting of Soto, who was wanted in connection with an earlier attempted homicide, according to the letter. Soto immediately opened fire when he spotted the officers and then fled the scene.
Nearly 30 shots were fired in Soto's initial assault, which struck Gardner's cruiser. Valdez tried to radio for help, but he found he was critically wounded in the neck and head.
A bystander—identified as Matthew Hartvigsen, a former solder with a combat lifesaver bag—treated Valdez at the scene. Officials credit his actions with saving the officer's life.
Soto continued to try to elude police, shooting as he fled. In a residential backyard, he shot Sgt. Loghan O'Hayre, seriously wounding him in the leg and arm. In another instance, Capt. Gabe Maldonado was struck in the face and neck as Soto fired from a nearby rooftop.
At no time were officers able to return fire.
When police were able to pin down Soto's position on a nearby rooftop, he continued shooting at authorities. This time, four police officers and four sheriff’s deputies were able to return fire, and Soto was fatally struck in the exchange.
The wounded officers were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries, and all three eventually were released by April 12 to recover at home. As of Sept. 12, only one officer had returned to full duty.
Along with body camera footage and officer reports, investigators also reviewed surveillance video, witness accounts and forensic evidence from the scene. In her letter, 10th Judicial District Attorney Kala Beauvais determined that the officers were justified in using lethal force.
Following the shooting, Chief Chris Noeller and Mayor Heather Graham blamed the state's lax crime legislation for allowing the shooting to happen, according to KMGH-TV.
"Our officers were ambushed and shot by a malicious person who should have been in jail, but wasn't because of our soft-on-crime legislation and bonds," he said.
"I'm not satisfied with legislation that ties the hands of my officers and their ability to remove these violent criminals from our streets. And neither should you," added Graham.
