58% of fatal police shootings in Colorado go unreported | Police Brutality Lawyers and Law Firms

Denver, CO – Federal reports suggesting a drop in fatal police shootings across the country are deeply flawed, a recent Washington Post review shows.

“Officers have shot and killed more people every year, reaching a record high in 2021 with 1,047 deaths. The FBI database contains only about one-third of the 7,000 fatal police shootings during this time — down from half when The Post first started tracking”.

As far as the state of Colorado is concerned, 58% of fatal police shootings are missing from the federal government’s data. For Denver, the FBI counted only 25 fatal shootings between 2015 and 2021, whereas The Washington Post recorded 37 such incidents. The yearly average is 3.5 fatal shootings per 1,000 police officers.

Another critical factor not apparent in the FBI’s data is race discrepancy. According to the Washington Post, nationwide, black people are fatally shot by police at more than double the rate for white people.

Despite renewed scrutiny of police use of force following the George Floyd murder and millions of dollars spent to encourage local law enforcement to report the data, most states report only a fraction of police killings. The reason? Laws that are too vague, offering minimal accountability at the state or local level.

Make your voice heard

Many police brutality incidents only come to light when the victims or their families reach out to experienced lawyers in their area. If you don’t speak out, chances are that the internal affairs review will conclude that the officers involved followed proper procedures. They will not be punished in any way.

Seasoned Denver police excessive force lawyers point out that the regulations concerning the use of lethal weapons by law enforcement agents are very strict. A police officer may shoot at a suspect only if they reasonably believe the individual poses an imminent threat of serious bodily injury or death to themselves or others. They should consider the weapons the suspect carries and respond appropriately. The use of deadly force in any other circumstance is against the law.

Over the past few years, Colorado police have been involved in a string of deadly shootings. Take, for instance, the case of Christian Glass, a troubled young man killed by police last summer after he called 911 to ask for help when his car got stuck. Glass was inside his car, did not carry lethal weapons and posed no threat to anyone. He was shot dead.

Common injuries following police shootings

A single gunshot can have catastrophic consequences. Even if the suspect is not killed, they may be left with life-changing injuries, such as:

Spinal damage leading to paralysis and the loss of motor functions
Loss of a limb
Loss of an organ
Prolonged coma
Brain injury
Disfigurement
Severe internal injuries requiring lifelong treatment

Victims should immediately contact trustworthy Colorado police brutality lawyers and file a lawsuit against the officers involved. When such a case garners media attention, the police department will be under intense pressure to punish those responsible. If you were a victim, it is your duty to report the incident so that others don’t fall victim to police brutality. Also, you have the right to seek damages for your medical expenses and lost wages, as well as for the pain and suffering the injury caused you.

If you were a victim of any type of abuse at the hands of Colorado police, you should contact an experienced civil rights lawyer at the Bryan&Terrill law firm in Denver to help you file a lawsuit.

Contact info:

Bryan & Terrill

333 W. Hampden Ave., #420B

Englewood, CO 80110

(720) 923-2333

Source: As fatal police shootings increase, more go unreported

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