Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty will not file criminal charges against the officer who fatally shot Ashlyn Brownell, 31, following a standoff with police outside a Longmont home earlier this year. Dougherty determined the shooting was legally justified under Colorado’s use-of-force laws, according to a decision letter released this week.
The incident began March 19 at 4 p.m., when Longmont police received a 911 call from Brownell’s mother, who said her daughter was on the front porch holding a gun to her own neck and was suicidal, according to law enforcement officials. Officials said Brownell later fired the gun from inside the home, prompting officers to call in a SWAT team.
During the hours-long standoff, Brownell showed officers through a window that she was loading the gun, according to officials. When the garage door opened, she pointed the gun at officers. Frederick Police Sgt. Tyler Farson, a member of the SWAT team, fired two shots, striking her in the chest and face. She died from the gunshot wounds, officials said.
Investigators recovered a note in which Brownell apologized to her son and said goodbye, officials said. Her mother told investigators Brownell had a history of alcoholism, depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety.
The shooting was not clearly captured on body-worn cameras, in part due to officers’ tactical positions and the location of an armored vehicle, officials said. Dougherty plans to hold a virtual town hall at 1 p.m. July 21 to discuss the incident and his decision not to file charges.
Gotta love when police are called to prevent a suicide and then kill the victim.
(Seems to happen pretty regularly.)