Bodycam: Colo. Police Clashes with Armed Suspect in Front of Walmart
By Mackenzie Bodell
Source The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Newly released body cam footage of the fatal Sept. 3 officer-involved shooting which resulted in the death of 29-year-old Colorado Springs man Tyler Jacob Ben has been released by Colorado Springs Police Department.
At approximately 10:27 p.m., police officers with the Sand Creek division located an unoccupied stolen vehicle in the parking lot of the Walmart on East Platte Avenue.
The officers coordinated with the two extra duty officers working at the Walmart to identify vehicle's driver. According to the department, extra duty officers are Colorado Springs police officers hired to work in their off-time to provide services to businesses, such as the Walmart, that request and pay for them.
The extra duty officers were able to identify a male driver and a female passenger, providing descriptions and photos to the patrol officers.
The patrol officers then contacted the two suspects as they were exiting the store and commanded them to stop. The female suspect complied and was detained, but later released without any charges.
The male suspect, later identified as Benn, reportedly did not comply with officer commands, and backed up into the store.
As seen in body camera and security camera footage, as officers approach the male suspect he pulls out what appears to be a firearm from the waistband of his pants.
An officer and the male suspect can be seen in the video footage briefly engaged in a physical altercation. The officer then fired multiple rounds, striking the suspect several times.
From police announcing themselves to gunfire, the interaction took eight seconds based on the body camera footage.
After Benn was shot, he was taken into custody. A loaded 9mm handgun was located in his possession.
Besides the suspect, no other police officers or community members were injured during the shooting.
Officers on the scene rendered emergency medical aid until paramedics arrived. Benn was declared deceased on the scene.
The officer involved in this shooting has been identified as Officer Nicholas Cassalia, who has been employed for nearly three years with the department.
Pursuant to Colorado state law, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office responded and initiated an investigation. Once that investigation is completed, it will be sent to the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's office to determine if the use-of-force was in compliance with the state law.
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