Larimer County deputies 'heartbroken' after learning woman was killed by suspect after calling off chase

The number of police shootings and vehicle pursuits are on the rise in northern Colorado according to Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith. Smith said Sunday night's tragic murder of an innocent woman followed just one of more than 150 vehicle pursuits his agency has been involved with alone.

"(Crime rate) numbers are just going up at levels that are just shocking," Smith said. 

Smith, the outgoing sheriff in Larimer County due of term limitations, said his agency has ramped up resources, patrols and trainings during his time in office. However, the crime rate has seen an uptick not only in his county but across the State of Colorado as well.  

He said the statistics show more people are eluding law enforcement in recent years.  

"There has just been an explosion of people who flee when the lights come on," Smith said.  

According to Smith, as recently as 2016, his agency would be involved with around 24 cases of eluding per year.  Since then there has been a steady and dramatic spike in eluding and pursuits since. 

"This year we have already exceeded 150," Smith said. "It is not unusual to come in and find out we have had two or three eluding cases in a night. It has become a norm." 

Smith said the same goes for incidents resulting in a police shooting. Smith said the agency used to only have an average of two deputy shootings per year, whereas they have already had six in 2022 alone.

Smith's agency has firm rules when it comes to engaging in pursuit after a driver eludes. Public safety is always the main factor that plays into the decision to pursue or not. He said his deputies did engage the vehicle involved in Sunday night's incident after suspecting the driver of intoxicated driving. 

The vehicle was driven erratically and at high speed, according to Smith's deputies. Because they were driving down Highway 287, which, in many areas, is surrounded by open space, the deputy continued to pursue. However, the chase was called off when the driver allegedly drove intentionally into oncoming traffic many times.  

Shortly after, Boulder County's deputies reported that the vehicle crashed in their jurisdiction. An innocent bystander was killed in a shooting after the suspects allegedly tried to carjack them.  

 "It is absolutely devastating. It hit me tremendously hard," Smith said.

Smith said his deputies were heartbroken to learn the suspects in the initial pursuit then went on to kill an innocent person in an effort to get away, even after the pursuit had ended.

"You terminate a pursuit for the right reason, and somebody is absolutely outright murdered by the individuals involved," Smith said. "It was shocking to my staff, they have a difficult time processing through that because it causes the 'what if,' 'did I make the right decision?' These are no-win situations."