FOUNTAIN, CO — On Monday, District Attorney Michael Allen announced in a press release that his office completed its review of the officer-involved shooting of Ross Floersheim, finding that the shooting was "justified."
Floersheim was shot by Fountain Police Officer Brett Ryder on Village Meadows Drive near the intersection of Fountain Mesa Road on November 20, 2022.
Officers were initially called to the scene after a female caller reported being thrown to the ground and that their counterpart was not letting their 8-year-old son leave the premises.
According to the justification from the 4th Judicial District, Floersheim answered officers at the door toting a rifle-style weapon.
Officer Ryder fired a single shot into Floersheim’s torso after he was told eight times to drop his weapon. Officers stated that Floersheim fell to the ground as Ryder and Corporal Haley, the other officer on the scene took cover. They started hearing between what they believed was ten to fifteen more rounds from Floersheim's weapon.
The DA's Office said Floersheim was found in the residence with 27 7.62mm shell casings around him and another magazine with 29 cartridges in it.
According to the District Attorney's Office, Ryder and Haley did not render aid out of fear for their lives and continued shooting by the suspect.
Floersheim was found inside the home by a tactical hostage rescue team with a spinal cord injury, unable to move.
According to the DA's Office, Floersheim was continually verbally abusive to paramedics and officers administering him aid. Floersheim would later die from his injuries after refusing surgical intervention to repair a hole in his stomach.
Colorado's Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office found all the evidence and facts of Officer Ryder's use of force to be justified under Colorado State Law.
You can view the DA's Office Justification here.
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