Denver Police Shoot Woman 30 Times - Was This Necessary or Overkill?

Denver, Colorado — On Thursday August 15, 2019 two uniformed patrol officers assigned to district one in northwest Denver, had just completed a call for service and prepared to meet at a nearby 7-eleven at Colfax avenue and Perry street. Officer Ismael Lopez arrived first, entering the parking lot from the Perry street side. Officer Lopez observed a dark-colored jeep patriot, on the northwest corner of the building. Officer Lopez recognized his vehicle and was aware that it was involved in an eluding incident two days prior, on August 13, 2019 in the area of 8th avenue and Knox court. Officer Lopez positioned his fully marked police vehicle behind the jeep and made contact with a male who was filling one of the vehicle's tires with air. Officer Lopez recognized the male was acting nervous. Due to this individual's behavior and Officer Lopez's knowledge of the prior looting incident, officer Lopez completed a cursory research of the male for weapons. During the search, officer Lopez recognized the male had a syringe in his pocket and decided to detain him, by placing him in handcuffs.

While officer Lopez was handcuffing the male, a female 31 year old Jamie Fernandez, exited the front passenger seat, of the jeep patriot and began running east, along the north side of the 7-eleven. Fernandez ignored officer Lopez's repeated commands to stop and stay in the vehicle. At this time the second officer, Cprl. Brandon Reyes, arrived at the 7-eleven and entered the parking lot from the Colfax avenue side. Without warning Fernandez reached into her purse and produced a black handgun. Fernandez aimed the handgun in the direction of the officers and the male being detained. Fernandez fired the weapon, one time as she continued moving to the east, towards the north south alley that runs between Osceola street and Perry street. It was at this time that both officers drew their handguns. Cprl. Reyes fired several rounds while simultaneously moving east, to the mouth of the Osceola Perry street alley.

Officer Lopez was still in the process of handcuffing the male, when Fernandez shot at him. After being shot at, officer Lopez pushed the male to the ground, moved to the east and discharged his firearm multiple times, using a dumpster as cover. After shooting several rounds, officer Lopez believed he heard gunfire continue from Fernandez. Officer Lopez reloaded his handgun and fired additional rounds, after observing Fernandez continuing to hold the handgun off the ground, while pointing it in his direction. Officer Lopez stopped firing, when he observed the gun fall to the ground and he believed Fernandez was no longer a threat. The officers immediately requested an ambulance respond to the scene. The officers approached Fernandez and located a 380 caliber ruger handgun on the ground next to her. Officer Lopez moved this handgun several feet away, so officers could assess and secure Fernandez. Fernandez was transported to an area hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased.

Through the investigation, it was determined that a total of 30 rounds, were fired by the officers. Investigators recovered a black, 380 caliber ruger lcp semi-automatic handgun at the scene. This handgun had a magazine capacity of six rounds and could carry one in the chamber. When recovered, there were no live rounds in the chamber or the magazine of the gun. In Fernandez's purse, a second magazine with six live rounds was located. It was determined the handgun, Fernandez possessed was stolen in a criminal trespass, to a motor vehicle in march of 2019. Detectives located two spent, 380 cartridge casings, that were forensically matched to the handgun recovered from Fernandez. One of the rounds that was fired by Fernandez, was recovered from a business on the north side of Colfax avenue. The officers and the male who was detained, were in the path between where the round was fired and the business that was struck. The round that was recovered was forensically matched, to the handgun recovered from Fernandez.

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