A Summit County Sheriff’s Deputy shot and killed a man in the Summit Cove area near Keystone on Sunday morning.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is now helping Summit County investigate the shooting.
The sheriff’s office first reported the shooting on its Facebook page around 8:45 a.m. and said there was no continuing threat to the community. The sheriff’s office didn’t say much else as of 11 a.m., but the death was confirmed by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
SCS
The person who was killed has been identified by his family as 18-year-old Charlie Foster, according to the Daily High log. In this article, Foster’s aunt, Monica Vasquez, says her nephew was going through a mental health crisis on Sunday morning.
The emergency dispatch audio also recorded a Summit County dispatcher referencing a mental health crisis.
Foster’s family declined to speak to a CBS News Colorado reporter in Summit County on Sunday afternoon.
The shooting itself was alerted by the sheriff’s office after an emergency alert was sent to nearby residents telling them to shelter in place due to a “police emergency”.
“Take shelter inside immediately. Close all windows and doors. Completely turn off all heating and air conditioning systems. This is not a test,” the alert continues.
In a statement released Sunday afternoon, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office said Foster “pointed a handgun” at a deputy and a police officer, who then shot Foster. The sheriff’s office said the deputy and officer then attempted to provide medical assistance to Foster, but doctors pronounced him dead at the scene.
“We recognize that incidents like this have a significant impact on our community, and we send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the person who lost his life,” the Summit County Sheriff said. Jaime FitzSimons, in the release. “We understand the pain and grief that follows such a tragic event, and we are committed to providing support and resources to those affected during this difficult time.”
The two officers who fired their weapons are now on paid administrative leave, as is standard procedure after police shootings. FitzSimons said his agency will be transparent about the investigation.
“We want to assure the community that we remain committed to building and maintaining trust through transparency,” the statement continued. “We will provide updates on the progress of the investigation as they become available, while respecting confidentiality and legal considerations that may arise during the process.”
Read the full statement from the Sheriff’s Office here:
The initial call appeared to arrive around 7:25 a.m. in the 800 block of Summit Drive, according to audio from the emergency radio dispatch.
Deputies and a dispatcher refer to a person who may be armed with a gun. A dispatcher tells the radio that the call appears to be “related to a missing minor who is going through a mental health crisis”.
At least one Summit County sheriff’s deputy and at least one Dillon police officer arrived and an officer said over the radio that they had the person at gunpoint.
At approximately 7:40 a.m., someone calls over the radio for shelter-in-place to be issued and as another person presses the “talk” button on their radio microphone, gunshots are heard over the radio.
It was unclear which officer or deputy had fired their weapon or whether Foster had or had fired a weapon. His aunt told Summit Daily he had a BB gun while officers are heard on radio dispatch audio simply referring to a weapon or gun.
It also wasn’t immediately clear if any of the responding officers had body cameras, but CBS News Colorado filed a public records request for footage of the shooting.
Local county nonprofit Building Hope Summit County said it will be offering walk-in support for anyone affected by the shooting Monday, July 10 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Summit High School.
Walk-in support for anyone affected by today’s events will be available Monday, July 10 from 2-5 p.m. at Summit High School. 24/7 support is available at 844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255
posted by Building Summit County Hope on Sunday, July 9, 2023