Editor’s note: Twenty-First Judicial District Attorney Daniel Rubenstein issued a letter on June 2, 2023, that ruled the use of force by police was legally justified in this case. Read Rubenstein’s decision letter here.
Grand Junction police shot and killed a man Saturday night after responding to reports of an assault in progress.
Officers responded around 6:43 p.m. to the 1600 block of Walnut Avenue on reports of a man armed with a knife who had attempted to stab his housemate, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
“Once in contact with an adult male, the officer-involved shooting occurred,” the sheriff’s office said. Authorities did not detail any of the events leading up to the shooting or why officers shot the suspect in question.
The suspect, who has not been identified, was transported to the hospital but later died.
No officers were injured. The personnel involved in the incident have been placed on paid administrative leave, per department policy, while the 21st Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team investigates the shooting.
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