COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — The Colorado Springs Police Department released its significant event briefing video Wednesday related to an officer-involved shooting on March 13th, 2023.
Colorado Springs Police say officers were called to the scene of a domestic disturbance on March 11th, at the 1000 block of North Foote Avenue by officials with the Pikes Peak Humane Society who were serving a warrant on a dangerous dog that had injured someone.
Police responded to the scene to help Humane Society officials as the owner of the dog was being uncooperative and had warrants out for his arrest.
The owner of that dog, identified as 52-year-old Jose Aponte, did have an active felony warrant and three active misdemeanor warrants out for his arrest. As officers entered the home to serve the warrant, the dog, identified as a large pit bull, allegedly attacked one of the officers biting him on the leg, and the officer shot the dog dead.
Police say officers were not able to locate Aponte at the scene. On March 12th, around 9:00 p.m. a concerned resident called Colorado Springs Police saying that Aponte was on the scene of the residence yelling and screaming at a female inside the house on North Foote Avenue.
After multiple searches of the residence, officers located Aponte in an attic crawl space hiding under several boxes and bags around midnight on March 13th. Aponte allegedly refused the officer's commands to turn himself over.
The officer confronting Aponte discharged his taser twice but the taser probes did not hit Aponte as he was holding up a trash bag.
Officers continued to command Aponte to show them his hands. The department says it was then that Aponte held up a metallic-looking object in his right hand and officers opened fire. Police say Officer Pierre Gutierrez fired his handgun three times striking Aponte.
Gutierrez has been employed with the Colorado Springs Police Department for a total of one year.
Officers then removed Aponte from the crawlspace and began to provide emergency medical assistance until paramedics arrived. Aponte was treated for his wounds at a local hospital.
The metallic object that triggered officers to open fire was later identified as a metal flashlight.
News5 has reached out to the Colorado Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office to see if the shooting was determined to be justified and is awaiting a response.
Editors Note: Below is a link to the Significant Event Video Briefing from a Colorado Springs Police Department spokesperson reading a press release of the updated events leading up to the shooting on March 13th. The video also includes edited body camera footage showing certain details of the OIS interaction.
Click here to view the Significant Event Video Briefing.
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