GOLDEN - The Deer Creek Middle school shooter, who’s been treated at the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo for the last 7 years, may eventually be allowed temporary unsupervised trips out of the mental health hospital, including spending time with his mother and working in the community.
In 2011, Bruco Strong Eagle Eastwood, was committed to the Mental Health Institute (CMHIP), after a jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity of shooting middle school students Reagan Weber and Matthew Thieu. Both survived the shooting which happened outside the school on February 23, 2010, at the end of the school day.
Eastwood now 39, was found guilty of possession of a weapon on school grounds, a felony. He was originally charged with several counts of attempted murder, assault and two counts of child abuse.
A court hearing is underway Wednesday in Jefferson County to decide whether Eastwood would be allowed to spend unsupervised time in the community.
Eastwood’s CMHIP treatment team notified the court in August of 2017 they intended to allow Eastwood “increased unsupervised” visits or trips to the community.
In September, the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office objected, which triggered a court hearing in the matter. The hearing was originally scheduled for December but was canceled last minute.
The treatment team requested more time to prepare to testify when they found out the judge would allow a 9NEWS camera in the courtroom for the hearing, according to court testimony.
In November, when 9NEWS originally did the story about the possibility of Eastwood having more unsupervised privileges, one of the survivors of the shooting, Matt Thieu told 9NEWS he was opposed to that.
“Him being let out unsupervised, he can do pretty much anything and everything that he wants, triggers can always set things off and you never know what’s going to happen,” Thieu told 9Wants to Know in November.
Wednesday, six people on Eastwood’s treatment team are present in court to support him. Eastwood is also in court.
One of Eastwood’s doctors, Dr. Robin McCann, testified that he’s been living in the lowest security setting on the grounds of the mental health hospital for several years.
According to her testimony, Eastwood lives in what’s called a cottage, he has his own room, a kitchen and keys to the cottage and his living quarters. The cottage does not have a fence.
McCann said Eastwood has had supervised off-grounds privileges for three years.
If the judge grants unsupervised trips into the community, McCann told the court that would mean Eastwood would start off with going out with a peer for an hour, the privileges would likely increase to multiple hours.
McCann also said that he might be allowed to work part-time in the community. He currently works on hospital grounds.
McCann said Eastwood wanted to eventually work up to overnights with his mother three to four times a week.
McCann told the court the ultimate goal for Eastwood is for him to live in the community. McCann also said Eastwood felt “remorseful and guilty and ashamed,” about the shooting.
Dr. Richard Pounds, another one of the shooter’s doctors, said the temporary unsupervised trips from the mental health hospital are a part of Eastwood’s treatment.
Steve Jensen, Chief Deputy DA in Jefferson County, argued that Eastwood should not get these privileges and his release was a matter of public safety.
He asked the judge to look at the petition to the court and said it was “not adequate to warrant the release of the defendant and deny it, because it’s simply not up to snuff.”
Steve Harris’ daughter attended Deer Creek Middle School and witnessed the shooting.
“I think he needs to be incarcerated for the rest of his life,” Harris said.
“It’s a very sensitive subject,” said Thieu. “I’m still suffering. (For him to) move on more than I can, it’s a little rough.”
After a marathon court session that started at 10 a.m., by 6 p.m. Judge Laura Tighe said she wasn’t going to make a decision Wednesday night, but that she would as “quickly as possible.”
