Body Cam Video Shows Greeley Officer In Shootout With Suspect
GREELEY, Colo. (CBS4) - Dramatic police body cam video just released shows the perspective of a Greeley officer who was shot in the arm during a shootout with a man named Russell Cooley two months ago. The situation started as a shots fired call in Greeley during a road rage incident on Nov. 14 and turned into a chase. It then ended with a shootout and a standoff in Evans.
Representatives with the Weld County District Attorney's Office say one officer was justified in firing his gun at the suspect. That officer's name is not being released.
The video shared by authorities in Weld County shows the moment glass shattered after Cooley fired shots at the officer's car windshield and window using a high-powered rifle. The officer then takes cover behind the door of his cruiser and runs toward his fellow officers for help. He asks for help putting a tourniquet on his arm.
Cooley's girlfriend was shot in the leg during the shootout. She was in the vehicle Cooley was driving and a bullet fired by an officer hit her.
"There was over 55 high-powered rifle rounds that were shot at this officer and others during this incident," said Greeley Police Chief Mark Jones.
Cooley ended up running from the scene to his house, where he barricaded himself and eventually took his own life.
The officer has been recovering since getting shot and is expected to return to full-time active duty soon.
If you wish to watch a portion of the video, it can been seen in below, although it is disturbing, so please BE WARNED:
"I want the people to understand what our police officers have to deal with and how difficult the job can be at times," said Jones, when discussing the release of the video.
