Authorities Release Videos Of Officer-Involved Shooting That Wounded 6 Bystanders

Denver, CO – The Denver Department of Public Safety (DPS) released video from an officer-involved shooting in Lower Downtown (LoDo) in July that left six bystanders wounded (video below).

The incident occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on July 17 when a crowd was gathered in front of the Larimer Beer Hall at 20th and Larimer Streets in LoDo, KDVR reported.

Denver police responded to a report of a fight outside the beer hall that might involve a gun.

DPS released videos from multiple officers’ bodycams as well as footage from HALO (High Activity Location Observation) cameras outside and surveillance cameras inside the Larimer Beer Hall, KDVR reported.

Video showed a fight broke out and a man, later identified as Jordan Waddy, punched another man in the face.

When police arrived, Waddy tried to flee the area, but officers went around the parked vehicles to box him in on the sidewalk, the video showed.

Bodycam video showed that Waddy started reaching into his pockets, KDVR reported.

“It appeared to the officers that Mr. Waddy was working to retrieve an item from the front pocket of his hoodie with his left hand as he continued moving toward 20th Street, which was in the direction of the crowd in front of the beer hall,” Denver Police Commander Matt Clark previously told reporters.

That was when Waddy pulled out a gun as he faced officers.

“The video shows Mr. Waddy removed a handgun from his front hoodie pocket. When he did so, he was holding the slide of the gun in his left hand,” Cmdr. Clark explained.

Waddy the appeared to ultimately follow commands to drop the weapon but the commander said at one point, the suspect pointed the muzzle at the officers, KDVR reported.

Three officers opened fire on Waddy as he dropped his gun to the street, the video showed.

One officer fired four rounds, a second officer fired two, and the third officer, who had followed Waddy onto the sidewalk, fired just one shot, KDVR reported.

Cmdr. Clark said the officer was aware of people in the crowd standing behind Waddy.

That officer told investigators that he “worked to obtain a clear sight picture of Mr. Waddy before firing one round,” KDVR reported.

The commander said officers stopped firing when they believed Waddy was no longer a threat.

Cmdr. Clark said Waddy’s handgun was recovered with the hammer cocked back with a bullet in the chamber and seven bullets in the magazine, KDVR reported.

The commander said there was no evidence that Waddy fired his gun during the incident.

Police immediately began performing First Aid on Waddy and then noticed that several bystanders had also been wounded, KDVR reported.

“We are deeply concerned that six individuals were injured as the officers tried to apprehend Mr. Waddy,” Cmdr. Clark said. Based upon the information we have at this time, we understand that these injuries to these individuals were directly or indirectly caused by the rounds fired by one or more officers.”

Three of the bystanders have called for action against the officers who shot them and have begun filing lawsuits.

Officials said the results of the investigation of the officer-involved shooting and the associated videos would be taken before a grand jury to determine whether any of the officers will face charges, the Denver Post reported.

Waddy has been charged with three counts of possession of a weapon by a previous offender and one count of third-degree assault.

He has hired civil rights attorney Tyrone Glover to bring a lawsuit against the city, KDVR reported.

“Based on what I’ve seen thus far, I feel like his civil rights were absolutely violated,” Glover said. “If we have the tools, if we have the ability, if we have the facts and the law on our side, this is absolutely going to result in a lawsuit and likely a lawsuit.”

“I’m very confident that justice will be brought,” he added.

Watch the incident unfold in the video below. WARNING – Graphic Content: