COLORADO SPRINGS — A police shooting last November near Fort Carson that killed a 33-year-old man has been found justified by the 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
According to the district attorney's office, Sgt. William Wingert with the Colorado Springs Police Department was approached by a man on Nov. 4, 2020, in a Safeway parking lot of South Academy who said they "were the victim of a road rage incident." Wingert found the suspect vehicle and aired to others that the suspect may have a gun.
Corporal Clinton Ford began searching for the vehicle and located it near Highway 115 and Norad Road, following the car heading toward Fort Carson's Gate 2.
The report states Ford lost sight of the car at one point with the way the road curved, but he was able to see the suspect vehicle once again in the middle of the road facing toward his car. At that point, Ford stated he saw the suspect, identified as Dean Jay Trasente Jr., exit his car with a gun and gave "multiple commands" to drop the gun. Officer Ashley D'Amour then arrived and assisted Ford.
Ford said Trasente pointed his gun at him and D'Amour stated she heard him say "I'm not going back to jail" before lowering his gun and running to Ford's patrol car, the report stated. Body-camera footage released in January shows the officers are able to stop him from leaving in that vehicle.
When he gets out, a taser is deployed by Ford and then shots are fired. D'Amour stated she heard the gunshot, but she knew it was not from Ford because he "had his taser in hand." The investigation found Trasente fired a second shot from the car through the windshield.
D'Amour fired several shots through the passenger side front windshield, striking Trasente multiple times. He died on scene from seven gunshot wounds. The result of the investigation by the district attorney's office found the two officers use of force to be justified.
RELATED:
CSPD releases body-cam footage of fatal shooting near Fort Carson
Man dies following officer-involved shooting near Fort Carson
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