Denver prosecutors on Thursday cleared two city police officers in the August shooting of a man who was 18 years old at the time.
Kylear Antonio Williams, now 19, was wounded in the Aug. 22 encounter in the alley between the 2800 blocks of Fairfax and Forest streets.
Police say Williams was armed and flashed a gun at them.
Williams was a passenger in a black Audi involved in an earlier armed carjacking in Aurora. According to investigators, police confronted the vehicle and the three people inside, including Williams, fled.
“He kind of started coming up with the gun,” Det. Jon Crowe, one of the officers cleared in the shooting, told investigators. “And I thought for sure that he was either going to turn a little bit towards me and start shooting at me, or shooting at other officers that were on scene.”
Crow and Officer Jimmy Sheppard together fired four rounds at Williams, according to a letter from Denver’s district attorney. Williams was struck by two bullets and suffered wounds to both hands, upper back, shoulder, neck, check and jaw.
After being wounded, police say Williams surrendered and was arrested.
“The investigation shows both officers believed the use of unlawful force against them was imminent, and that Mr. Williams was about to fire his handgun,” District Attorney Mitch Morrissey wrote. “Under the circumstances, these beliefs were reasonable. No credible evidence contradicts that.”
Morrissey said the use of force was “reasonable and legally justified.”
Williams has been charged with felony menacing for flashing his gun at the officers, prosecutors say. City records show he is next due in court Nov. 5 in the case.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or @JesseAPaul
