COLORADO SPRINGS – Karrar Noaman Al Khammasi, the man suspected of shooting and critically injuring Colorado Springs Police Officer Cem Duzel, pleaded not guilty in court Friday morning.
Al Khammasi’s trial is scheduled to begin on May 13, 2019.
NEW: Al Khammasi trial set for May 13. Attorney entered a non-guilty plea. Al Khammasi was escorted into the courtroom by 6 officers. @KOAA
— Shayla Girardin (@shaylagthatsme) November 30, 2018
Al Khammasi was arrested after Duzel was shot in the head on Aug. 2 east of downtown Colorado Springs.
The 4th Judicial District Attorney’s office ruled in October that Duzel and CSPD Corporal Ron Carter were acting in self-defense and in defense of others when they fired their weapons at Al Khammasi on Aug. 2. Neither Carter or Duzel were charged following the shooting.
According to a report prosecutors, Duzel and another officer responded to the area near Bonfoy and Boulder on a shots-fired call in the early morning hours of Aug. 2. Shortly after they responded, Duzel encountered Al-Khammasi, who was walking along Boulder Street. Prosecutors said that’s when they shot at each other. According to the report, Duzel was hit in the head. Carter shot Al-Khammasi and began administering medical care to each of them.
Al-Khammasi was eventually released from the hospital and booked into jail on a $1 million bond. He was charged with attempted first-degree murder of a police officer, felony menacing, and possession of a weapon by a previous offender.
Duzel was released from the hospital on Aug. 28. He was transferred to a Denver-area rehabilitation center and continues his rehabilitation.
