Sheriff Releases Video Of Samuel Yeager Firing AK-47 At Douglas County Deputy Before He Was Killed
(CBS4) - Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock says the suspect who was killed in the confrontation with officers near Interstate 25 south of Denver over the weekend fired an AK-47 assault rifle at a sheriff's deputy. The man who was shot, Samuel Yeager, 23, was identified by the coroner's office.
Spurlock's office released a portion of the video captured by a dashcam of Saturday's deputy-involved shooting. In it, you can see and hear the deputy that first arrived at the scene near an onramp for the interstate along Happy Canyon Road. Yeager stood next to the ramp and had an AK-47 with a case and could be seen with his hand inside the case. The deputy repeatedly yelled for Yeager to put the gun down.
Yeager then moved away a bit and crouched down on the ground. He took the gun out of the case and pointed it at the deputy and fired.
Spurlock says at this time his office will not be releasing video of the end of the encounter, specifically the part where Yeager was killed by shots fired by one or more deputies.
The Douglas County Sheriff's office posted the video on YouTube. It can be seen below, but please be warned that it is disturbing to view:
No deputies were injured in the shooting. The members of the department who fired their weapons will be placed on administrative leave, which is standard policy.
The I-25 ramp at Happy Canyon Road was closed in both directions for several hours after the shooting and the main entrance into the Happy Canyon neighborhood was closed due to the shooting investigation.