Charges announced for Sonny Thomas Almanza in deadly shooting of Arvada police officer

The Jefferson County District Attorney announced Monday charges for suspect Sonny Thomas Almanza in the deadly shooting of 27-year-old Arvada Police Officer Dillon Vakoff. The DA issued the following charges: two counts of first-degree murder after deliberation, first-degree murder- extreme indifference, criminal attempt to commit murder in the first degree, second-degree assault, possession of a weapon by a previous offender, large-capacity magazine prohibited, first-degree criminal trespass and crime of violence.  

Almanza was arrested several hours after Vakoff was shot and killed while trying to defuse a domestic situation.

Detectives said that Almanza, 31, was involved in a shooting with Vakoff who died at a hospital after the overnight shooting, in spite of efforts by another officer, EMTs and medical staff to save him.

Vakoff and another officer arrived at a domestic dispute that had spilled out of a home in the 6700 block of West 51st Avenue at about 2 a.m. Sept. 11.

Family at the home says it started with a dispute over children. Earlier in the day on Saturday, they had gone to a home where they took two children they believed were not being cared for properly with a babysitter for the child's mother. Late that night, they say two carloads of people showed up and knocked down their door and began beating them. In the home was the child's father. The dispute spilled out onto the driveway and street in front of the home. 

Family says the father, later identified as Almanza, fired. A woman who had come over to the home was hit as well as Officer Vakoff. Police say they exchanged gunfire with Almanza and he was shot. The other Arvada officer tried to save Vakoff, but he died at the hospital. The woman and Almanza are both expected to survive.