Update Dec. 1, 2023: A Craig police officer and Moffat County sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed a man who pointed a gun at them during a foot pursuit in March will not face criminal charges, according to the 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

The district attorney’s review of the March 31 shooting found Officer Daniel Molina and Deputy Kurtis Luster were legally justified in shooting Christopher Rothermund, according to a decision letter published Nov. 20.

Rothermund fled on foot after Molina attempted to arrest him on a warrant at the Clear Water Grill, 337 W. Victory Way in Craig.

During the pursuit, Rothermund pulled out a gun and said, “I wanna die, shoot me,” and at one point put the gun in his mouth, according to the report.

Molina and Luster, who responded as backup, told Rothermund to get on the ground, but Rothermund said “I’m gonna die before I go to jail” and raised his gun toward the officers.

Both Molina and Luster fired their weapons at Rothermund, causing him to fall to the ground. The officers then began life-saving measures, according to the decision letter. Rothermund did not fire his gun during the confrontation.

An autopsy showed Rothermund died of a gunshot wound to the chest and that he had methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system when he died.

Both Molina and Luster had a reasonable belief that Rothermund had placed them and people around them in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury and were justified in using deadly force under Colorado law, according to the decision letter.

An armed man was fatally shot by police in Craig on Friday morning, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

Just before 9 a.m., Craig Police Department officers tried to contact a man outside the Cool Water Grille, 337 W. Victory Way, a CBI news release said.

Craig officers and Moffat County Sheriff’s deputies approached the man, who was wanted on an outstanding warrant, and he allegedly pulled a firearm and fled.

“Officers fired on the suspect, striking him,” the CBI release stated.

The man, who was not identified on Friday, was taken to a hospital, where he died.

No officers or community members were injured. One police officer is on administrative leave, per department policy, as the shooting is being investigated.

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