Two Arapahoe County sheriff’s deputies have been cleared of criminal wrongdoing in the October shooting death of a retired deputy who pulled a gun on them.
Deputies Buddy Gillespie and Matthew Schambow had no choice but to shoot 50-year-old Mark Bidon, who pointed a loaded Glock pistol at a third deputy during an encounter in the employee parking lot of the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, according to a decision letter written by Matt Maillaro, senior chief deputy district attorney in the 18th Judicial District.
“Were the officers not to have fired upon Bidon at that time, the risk of imminent harm to all three of the officers would have escalated,” the letter said. “The risk would have included the general public as well if Bidon were to flee from that area.”
Bidon, who was shot nine times, died from his injuries. He had left the sheriff’s department in 2010.
On Oct. 29, Bidon pulled into the entrance of the sheriff’s employee parking lot around 9:36 p.m. and made a U-turn and backed into the exit lane of the lot so that he blocked other cars from coming through, the letter said.
Gillespie drove into the exit lane at 9:43 p.m., and Bidon pulled forward to make room. Gillespie noticed that Bidon “had a blank look in his eyes and a neutral, flat expression,” the letter said.
When Gillespie asked Bidon if he needed help, Bidon replied, “Yeah, I’m here for my orders,” the letter said. And Bidon answered “yes” when Gillespie asked if he was armed.
At first, Bidon followed orders to place his hands on the steering wheel.
Sgt. Bruce Walker, who was in the parking lot, also responded to the scene. Walker knew Bidon because they had gone to the police academy together and worked together at the sheriff’s office, the letter said.
Walker asked, “Mark, what are you doing?” as he reached for the gun in Bidon’s lap. As he reached for the gun, Bidon looked up and grabbed the gun from his lap, the letter said.
Walker pleaded, “What are you doing?” and “Please don’t do that.” Gillespie was yelling for Bidon to stop.
Both deputies told investigators that Bidon had arched his back and moved as if he were aiming at Walker.
Meanwhile, Schambow was approaching Bidon’s car as the men struggled. He also told investigators that Bidon grabbed the gun, leaned back and pointed it at Walker, the letter said.
Gillespie fired seven times, and Schambow fired twice. Both deputies were armed with Smith and Wesson .40-caliber handguns, the letter said. Walker did not fire his weapon.
Toxicology tests showed that Bidon was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the letter said. The letter did not address why Bidon was acting strange or why he drove to his former employer’s office with a loaded gun.
The deputies were not injured in the incident.
They were put on administrative leave after the shooting, but all three have returned to their normal duties, said Julie Brooks, a sheriff’s spokeswoman. Internal investigations of the incident are ongoing, she said.
