Denver’s district attorney has determined that two members of a Denver SWAT team acted in self-defense when they shot and killed Nathan Aguillard during a drug raid on his apartment.
After breaking into the Peoria Street apartment with a court-authorized search warrant and screaming, “Police, police,” 21-year-veteran officers Thomas McKibben and Ronald Fox confronted the former Louisiana resident in his bedroom, according to the investigative report approved by Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey.
“McKibben shouted for Aguillard to ‘Show me your hands. Show me your hands.’ As he did so, Aguillard turned to face Technician McKibben. At that time, both officers saw that he had a firearm in his right hand,” the report said. Aguillard raised the .25-caliber pistol to his waist. McKibben fired a round into his chest, and Fox shot him between the eyes.
“They fired to protect their lives,” Morrissey concluded.
After the April 4 shooting, Aguillard’s family members said he was schizophrenic, reclusive and paranoid. He rarely spoke to people and couldn’t have dealt drugs as police suggest, they said.
The family retained Denver lawyer Craig Skinner to look into the matter.
A search of the apartment later turned up a bag of cocaine, ammunition and three loaded pistols, including the Lorcin .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol that Aguillard held when he was shot.
