Douglas Co. Deputy Death Investigation Complete: New Details

CENTENNIAL, CO – More details emerged of the 2017 New Year's Eve officer-involved-shooting that killed a Douglas County deputy and wounded four others as they tried to take an Iraq war veteran into custody for a mental health hold in Highlands Ranch. A final report from the office of the 18th Judicial District Attorney Critical Response Team says law enforcement agents who shot and killed Matthew Riehl, 37, after an ambush were cleared of charges of wrong-doing.

"Mr. Riehl posed an imminent danger to these deputies and to residents in nearby apartments, and the deputies reasonably feared for their lives when they fired at Mr. Riehl," wrote Jason Siers, the senior chief deputy district attorney. "Any person, including law enforcement, may use deadly physical force against a person if they reasonably believe the person poses an imminent danger of death or great bodily injury to another and a lesser degree of force is inadequate."

New details to emerge from the report include that two neighbors in a next-door apartment were also wounded by gunfire through the apartment wall. The report also described the final confrontation between SWAT officers and Riehl in his weapon-filled bedroom.

The report described the minute-by-minute confrontation between Riehl and several waves of law enforcement officials, starting at 3 a.m., when Deputy Zackari Parrish and another deputy initially came to the apartment building at 3404 E. County Line Road following Riehl's complaints about his roommate. Riehl was described by dispatchers as "veteran suffering from PTSD, has access to weapons – is hostile to law enforcement." During the first visit, Riehl was combative with deputies, and claimed that they had grabbed his neck, which the report said body cam footage did not show.

Riehl again called the sheriff's office at 5:12 a.m., claiming he needed an ambulance for his roommate and telling the dispatchers he "had weapons in his apartment, but they were secured and he would not hurt anyone."

The sheriff's office later characterized this second call as an "ambush." Sheriff Bill Elder released edited body cam footage from the incident in a video (see above.)

After speaking briefly to Riehl, Deputy Parrish told his colleagues he was going to place Riehl on a "mental health hold," the report said. The roommate give the deputies permission to enter the apartment and turned over his keys to them, he also warned the deputies that Riehl had rifles in the apartment, the report said.

When four deputies unlocked the door and pushed their way inside past a barrier, they discovered Riehl was locked in his bedroom and one deputy kicked a hole in the bedroom door. At that point Riehl "fired numerous round through the door striking Deputy Parrish and Deputy Davis," the report said. Parrish was injured and fell to the ground, while another deputy broke a window and jumped to ground level. Another deputy was shot in the chest and a fourth was shot in the arm. SWAT teams were called at 5:56 a.m. and the injured deputies who had escaped were taken to a hospital.

As local law enforcement officers came from neighboring jurisdictions, they attempted to craft a plan to rescue Deputy Parrish, with Riehl shooting a semi-automatic rifle at officers. Officers returned fire, but didn't strike Riehl.

Arapahoe and Douglas County SWAT team officers were the last to arrive, around 6:59 a.m. and climbed a ladder to a vacant apartment across the hall from Riehl's and observed Parrish lying in the threshold of Riehl's apartment. A group of officers entered the apartment and stormed Riehl's bedroom shooting at him through the walls to distract him, while others dragged Parrish out of the apartment.

Parrish was taken to a Littleton hospital and pronounced dead.

Finally, one officer kicked a hole in the bedroom door and shot into the hole, hearing Riehl fall to the ground. He saw Riehl reaching for a shotgun, and ordered him not to move, but Riehl continued to reach for the gun, the report said. Two officers shot at Riehl "believing he was a threat." Officers broke dow the door and found Riehl, wearing a gas mask lying on the floor next to a rifle with his left hand under his body. Two officers tried to place Riehl in handcuffs, "but he resisted," the report said. One officer "had to strike Mr. Riehl in order to place him in handcuffs," the report said. When Riehl had trouble breathing, they picked him up, discovering handgun underneath his body. Riehl died on the scene.

Riehl "livestreamed someone the events surrounding the shooting using his phone and the Periscope [app,]" the report said. About 47 minutes of audio were recorded inside Riehl's bedroom. "On the video, Mr. Riehl appeared angry and talked about the deputies breaking his door and entering his apartment without a warrant," the report said. "At one point, Mr. Riehl can be seen wearing a gas mask. Mr. Riehl continued shooting his firearms during the recording."

Two neighbors reported that they were also struck by bullets as Riehl and officers exchanged fire. One neighbor was shot in the elbow and another in the arm through the wall of their own apartment, the report said. Both were treated at a nearby hospital.

The report listed the weapons and ammunition found in Riehl's bedroom which included: "A Springfield Annory XD4S, Smith and Wesson .44 Magnum revolver, Smith and Wesson .3S7 Magnum revolver, Smith and Wesson M&P Shield, Ruger 10/22, Windham Weaponry ARIS rifle, Palmetto Anns PA-15, Wolf Muzzleloader, Coonan MCI-LAR-3, Henry Survival Rifle, Ruger Mark III, Springfield Annory M 1, Hi point rifle. Two additional rifles were located in a rifle case: a Savage A I 7 and a Ruger M77 Hawkeye," the report said.

Investigators found 185 spent casings, 1,067 live cartridges and 22 magazines inside the bedroom. They identified approximately 180 projectile holes in the bedroom walls, ceiling and floor. A bloody Beretta 130 I Tactical shotgun was in the bathroom located outside the bedroom, the report said.

"I find that all officers acted completely lawfully in using deadly force against Matthew Riehl," investigator Jason Siers wrote. "Mr. Riehl posed a continuing deadly threat to law enforcement and the community. All officers acted in self-defense or defense of others. They were legally justified in shooting and killing Mr. Riehl."

Read the CRT report here:

Related: 4 Deputies Wounded, 1 Killed In Highlands Ranch: Officials

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Image via Douglas County Sheriff's Office

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