(SECURITY, Colo.) — A February 2023 shooting involving a deputy in Security has been ruled justified by the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s (DA) Office following a review.
According to a report from the DA’s Office, just before 2:30 p.m. on Monday, February 27, deputies with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) responded to the 0-100 block of Easy Street in Security on a report from a woman that her uncle, 52-year-old Robert Wood, had threatened her and other family members with a gun.
The woman reported to law enforcement that Wood had been using methamphetamine and had previously assaulted law enforcement officers. The woman also reported that the family heard a gunshot as they were running from the home.
Deputies Mark Carle, Zachary Maher, and Susan Aragon arrived at the home and found the family outside of a neighbor’s house. After deputies confirmed what had been reported to dispatchers, nearby Venetucci Elementary School was placed on lockdown and a shelter-in-place was issued for neighbors in the area.
The deputies gave commands for Wood to come out of the house, and when they received no response, they called for additional deputies and a containment was established around the home. A deputy positioned behind the home saw Wood inside with a gun in his hand, the DA’s report states.
Deputy Carle took a position in an alley where he could see the back door of the home, and the report states that Wood repeatedly opened the back door and pointed his gun before retreating back inside. While still ignoring commands from deputies, Wood then walked back outside the back door, and Deputy Carle heard a gunshot and a thump in the direction of a fellow deputy stationed behind the house.
Believing that Wood had shot at his fellow deputy, Deputy Carle aimed where he could see Wood’s blue jeans through the cracked open back door and fired five shots, hitting Wood in the right knee, the report states. Deputies confirmed that no member of law enforcement had been injured.
An hours-long standoff ensued, and a robot had to be sent in to confirm that Wood was in fact unconscious due to the injury to his leg. Once inside, deputies found a revolver and a spent cartridge casing near Wood. Wood was arrested just before 6:45 p.m. and taken to the hospital for his gunshot injury.
Charges were filed against Wood, and he entered a guilty plea to Menacing and was sentenced to three years in the Department of Corrections.
After a review of the case, the 4th Judicial DA said Deputy Carle’s use of force was justified based on a number of factors, such as the belief that Wood posed an immediate threat to the other deputy in Deputy Carle’s vicinity.
The use of force does not qualify as deadly force, the DA said, because Wood survived the injury. The DA added that the densely populated neighborhood around the home where Wood was barricaded, as well as the information given prior to the shooting that Wood was armed and had assaulted law enforcement before, further justified the use of physical force.
“After a thorough review of the facts and evidence, Colorado’s 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office has determined that the use of physical force by Deputy Mark Carle was justified based on the facts and circumstances of this case and State of Colorado law,” the DA said.
