The Adams County District Attorney’s office has cleared a Federal Heights police sergeant in the fatal July 4 shooting of an armed man who had a record of assaulting police and was armed and dangerous.
Juan Carlos Manriquez, 30, was fatally shot after he allegedly reached for a gun and drove away when officers attempted to arrest him on arrest warrants and for allegedly making threats to his niece, according to an Oct. 12, report by Adams County District Attorney Dave Young.
Young released findings Monday that were based on a review by the 17th Judicial District Critical Incident Investigative Team which included investigators from Westminster and Thornton.
Read more: 2017 officer-involved shootings
The report mentions this was the second time Sgt. Jon Hess has deployed his weapon in a fatal altercation with a suspect. The prosecution cannot prove that Hess’s three shots were not justified because he perceived a threat of deadly physical force, the report signed by Young says.
On July 4, Naomi Loucero called Federal Heights police saying that her uncle, Manriquez, was threatening her and said he was on his way to her apartment armed with guns, according to the 14-page report.
Loucero said she was afraid Manriquez would take her hostage and was worried about her daughter’s safety. She also warned that if confronted by police, Manriquez would get into a shootout with officers.
Manriquez, who had been convicted of felony assault on a police officer along with numerous other assault charges, drove a red Mercedes-Benz into the parking lot of Loucero’s apartment accompanied by a man and two women.
Manriquez and the others had climbed out of the car when police pulled in front of the car to block him from leaving, the report says. Manriquez then pushed past his companion and climbed back into the car.
Hess yelled, “Don’t do it,” and You’re going to get shot!” the report says. Hess was armed with an AR15 assault rifle. As the car lurched forward, Hess saw Manriquez reach for what he believed was a gun, the letter says. Hess fired three shots from his rifle through the windshield and into Manriquez’s torso.
Manriquez drove forward, turned right, accelerated and crashed into a parked car. the report says.
