Authorities are investigating the fatal incident in which a Denver police officer shot a man she thought was armed but actually only had a black marker.
The victim identified as 36-year-old Brandon Cole was caught on body camera of the officer, who has not been identified, raising the marker to chest level on the night of Aug. 5. Cole was shot twice.
Security video also shows a woman and a small child behind him, who were not injured, nor were police called.
“This is a tremendous tragedy,” Chief Ron Thomas said during a news conference Monday. According to The Associated Press, the Denver District Attorney’s Office will determine if the officer acted lawfully when he shot Cole.
A neighbor had called 911 to report possible domestic violence involving Cole, his wife and their teenage son, The Denver Post reported.
On Monday, Police Commander Matt Clark said the complainant announced the woman may have been pushed out of her wheelchair and said Cole was “chasing” her son.
The officer who shot Cole has been with the police department since 2019 and has not been involved in any other shootings.
