FORT COLLINS, Colo. — A Fort Collins Police officer who shot an 18-year-old man twice after responding to a disturbance call this month will not be charged, in part because the man took a "shooting position" and pointed a shotgun directly at officers.
The 8th Judicial District Attorney's Office reviewed body camera footage, reports, photos and recorded interviews related to the Sept. 2 shooting before concluding that Officer Phillip Selgren's use of force was justified.
Selgren shot Michael Cordova twice as officers tried to detain his father, Isaac Cordova, at an apartment complex on East Stuart Street, Fort Collins Police said.
Around noon that day, officers responded to a report of a disturbance at an apartment. Earlier in the day, Isaac Cordova, who had a felony warrant for burglary, had been at the property but left before police arrived. He then returned to the apartment, police said.
When officers arrived, they found Isaac Cordova in an apartment, but he jumped from a balcony in an effort to escape, police said. Officers were able to detain him. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries related to the jump.
According to police, as Isaac Cordova tried to escape, officers encountered several other people who were inside the same apartment, including Michael Cordova.
In body camera footage, the sound of a live round being changed into a firearm was "audible" as Selgren and another officer entered the apartment, the DA's report says. Selgren turned toward where that sound came from, and "within a second or two," Michael Cordova emerged from a room and ran toward the officers.
According to the report, it was "clear" in the video that Michael Cordova was "taking a shooting position" and had a large "assault-style" firearm pointed at Selgren.
Upon seeing that, Selgren fired twice at Michael Cordova and hit him twice, the report says. In an interview, Selgren reported that he did not have time to say anything before firing at Michael Cordova. He said he believed if he had taken time to issue commands that Michael Cordova would have killed him or his fellow officer, the report says.
Michael Cordova was taken to the hospital and booked into the Larimer County Jail upon his release. No officers were injured.
Isaac Cordova later told investigators that he and his son Michael Cordova had been smoking meth together on a daily basis for about month. He reported that both consumed meth on the morning of the shooting.
He said that he believed both of them were being followed by people with guns who were trying to cause harm to them, the report says.
Isaac Cordova said his son told him about people "drugging him with gases" and "other bizarre happenings." He claimed they were at the apartment that day to bring firearms to his ex-wife for protection and to "run from the people chasing them."
Michael Cordova faces the following charges related to the incident:
- 2 counts attempted first-degree murder of a peace officer
- 2 counts first-degree assault on a peace officer
- 2 counts felony menacing
- Mandatory sentencing for violent crimes
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