Body-worn camera footage released from officer-involved shooting in Pueblo

PUEBLO — The Pueblo Police Department on Monday released body-worn camera footage of an officer-involved shooting that left one man dead. Pueblo Police Chief Chris Noeller said they were releasing the footage to help clarify what they believe happened that day.

On June 19, at approximately 7:45 p.m., Pueblo Police officers responded to a call about a man with a gun in the parking lot of McAlister’s Deli.

The woman who called police said a man was pointing a black-and-white handgun out the driver’s window. She gave a description of what the suspects were wearing and the license plate number of the car.

When officers arrived, they found the vehicle in the Popeyes parking lot, nearly 500 feet away. The incident occurred at Highway 50 and Outlook Boulevard in Pueblo. Police said they approached the car.

Man dead after police-involved shooting in Pueblo

“Our officers made contact with the passenger in the vehicle who was sitting in the vehicle with his tinted windows up, refusing to comply with our officers’ commands. Pueblo Police Department officers gave the passenger in the vehicle over 10 commands to show his hands or he would be fired upon. He refused to comply,” Noeller said.

The camera footage shows the officer repeatedly asking the person behind the wheel to show his hands.

“Hands up, hands up, you’re about to get shot, hands up, hands up, hands up,” said a Pueblo police officer.

Less than a minute later, police said a man in the car raised his gun and fired first, firing six times. Police continued, saying officers returned fire, killing the man.

“Our officers did what I expected them to do under the circumstances by returning fire on Mr. Valdez. Mr. Valdez ultimately died from his injuries,” Noeller said.

The police chief said officers recovered a stolen firearm and learned the man was a convicted felon awaiting sentencing for drug trafficking.

“This type of event is certainly tragic for Mr. Valdez’s family and friends, as well as the Pueblo community, and I send them my condolences,” Noeller said.

No officers were injured. Police also released photos of a patrol car damaged by bullets. Pueblo police placed six officers and one dispatcher on administrative leave.

“We’re giving it to them administratively for a couple of reasons. One, to make sure we’ve had a chance to look into it and make sure we’ve done our due diligence, that there are no legal issues, but also to give them time to get their act together. Try to talk to a psychologist and decompress from this incredibly stressful situation,” Noeller said.

One of the officers who did not fire the shot returned to work. Noeller said this was the second officer-involved shooting in Pueblo this year. The first occurred in April at Forts RV Park along Lake Avenue.

Police involved in deadly shooting in Pueblo

The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office is the agency investigating the shooting. The sheriff’s office has not yet released its findings. The 10th Judicial District Attorney’s Office has not released its determination of whether the shooting was justified at this time.
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