State parole officer Steve Crigler was justified in shooting a wanted career criminal after the man pulled a gun from underneath his jacket and pointed it at Crigler, Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey said today.
Killed on May 13 was James “Bam-Bam” Stewart, who at the time had three active arrest warrants — one for absconding from parole and two from Denver police for robbery.
Shortly before 9 p.m. on May 13, Crigler, a parole officer for 13 years, had gone to an apartment house at 1746 Emerson St. to assess the facility because several parolees were residing there.
Once there, Crigler knocked on the door of room 206 and was immediately let in.
There, he saw four individuals, including 36-year-old Stewart, whom Crigler knew was a suspect in multiple robberies in Denver and was actively being sought by police, according to the DA.
Morrissey said Crigler drew his service revolver and repeatedly commanded Stewart to “get on the ground” and “let me see your hands.”
Instead of complying, said Morrissey, Stewart first moved toward the parole officer, then backed up toward the room’s window. At that point, Crigler moved toward Stewart, who pulled a gun from underneath his jacket with the barrel pointed at Crigler.
Crigler “instantaneously” fired two shots at Stewart from an estimated barrel-to-body distance of 3 to 4 feet, said Morrissey.
The DA said the gun Stewart had pointed was fully loaded with six live rounds of .22-caliber, hollow-point ammunition, and the hammer was cocked.
The district attorney said that the three others in the room who witnessed the confrontation said Crigler had no other choice than to take the action he did.
Morrissey noted that Stewart’s behavior “is consistent with his extensive criminal record and prior conduct.”
The DA said Stewart served five separate jail terms in the Colorado Department of Corrections. He added that since Stewart’s adult criminal record began in 1990, he had “a steady pattern of arrests, incarcerations, parole violations and escapes.”
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
