PUEBLO, Colo. (KOAA) — A Pueblo judge sentenced Deon Council-Rivera to 44 years in prison for shooting a Pueblo Police Officer in October 2023.
WATCH: Man charged with attempted first-degree murder for shooting Pueblo Officer
The PPD officer was responding to a domestic violence call on Surfwood Lane that resulted in Council-Rivera barricading himself inside the home.
The arrest affidavit revealed that the officers had asked Council-Rivera to exit the home, but he disappeared and returned with a handgun to shoot at the officers.
One officer was hit in the right shoulder and the lower left part of their ballistic vest.
As an officer was checking on the officer who was shot, a child came running out of the house.
In an interview with detectives following the shooting, Council-Rivera said, "he had been a part of behavioral programs his entire life, stating he has anger issues and ADHD."
His jury trial began in November 2024 with the following charges filed by the District Attorney's Office:
- Assault in the Third Degree- Domestic Violence
- Obstruction of Telephone Service- Domestic Violence
- Child Abuse
According to the DA's office, after three days, the jury was unable to come to a unanimous decision.
Eventually, Council-Rivera agreed to a plea deal, where he pled guilty to the following:
- Count 1 Attempted Murder in the First Degree, a class 2 Felony
- Assault in the Second Degree on a Peace Officer, a class 4 Felony
The 10th Judicial District Attorney, Kala Beauvais, released a statement on the verdict:
“The officers in this case responded to a domestic violence call that morning. They were simply doing their job when the defendant made the deliberate decision to open fire on them. Not only did the defendant place the officers in danger, but also his girlfriend, her child, neighbors, and other nearby community members. Since this shooting, 4 other officers have been shot in our community. This conduct cannot and will not be tolerated.”
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