Boulder police have identified the SWAT officer who shot and killed a man who claimed to have a bomb Monday as Matt DeLaria, a corporal with the University of Colorado Police Department.
DeLaria was one of a large number of SWAT officers brought into Boulder Community Hospital after Terrance Baughman, 32, threatened to blow himself up with a homemade bomb inside the hospital’s emergency-room entrance.
Police negotiated with Baughman for four hours before Baughman attempted to walk deeper into the hospital. Police initially shot him with bean bags and nonlethal, hard-rubber bullets to stop him. When that failed, commanders gave the go-ahead to DeLaria to kill Baughman with a .308-caliber sniper rifle. DeLaria fired one shot from 30 yards away, hitting Baughman in the chest, police said.
Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner said Monday evening that he hadn’t spoken with DeLaria but that all SWAT officers are trained to shoot to kill once the decision is made to use lethal rounds.
Beckner said he had no problems with the conduct of the SWAT team and its capture of Baughman.
“We have rules of engagement for incidents like this, and they were followed to the letter,” Beckner said.
DeLaria has been placed on administrative leave while the shooting is investigated, which is standard procedure.
After Baughman was shot about 1:30 p.m., he was taken into surgery. He died about 8:30 p.m.
