A Denver police officer who fatally shot an armed man has been cleared of any criminal wrong-doing by investigators.
Officer Kevin Ford did not take any “unreasonable” actions when he fatally shot Nicholas Alvarado-Morales, 29, on Dec. 13 at a southwest Denver intersection.
“Based on a review of the totality of facts developed in this investigation, we could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that it was unreasonable for Officer Ford to fire the shot that caused Morales’ death,” according to a report released today by the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
Alvarado-Morales was shot when he pointed a gun at police who were responding to reports that someone was discharging a weapon along West Louisiana Avenue near the intersection of South Patton Court, police said.
“The intent of the officers who responded to the citizens’ 9-1-1 calls of shots being fired in their neighborhood was to identify the suspect, protect the citizens from his dangerous conduct, and take the suspect into custody,” the shooting report said. “Morales’ armed, non-compliant, life-threatening response to the police contact forced Officer Ford to shoot him.
“Officers have a right to defend themselves from a perceived imminent deadly threat. Morales clearly presented a deadly threat to Officer Ford.”
The report said Morales’ “refusal” to drop his weapon when police ordered him to do so “invites a deadly force response by the officer.”
Morales suffered a single gunshot wound, according to the report. Ford fired five shots from his Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, which has a capacity of seventeen rounds.
Morales was armed with a Ruger 9mm P89 semiautomatic pistol, according to the report.
When the Ruger was recovered at the scene, the magazine was empty and there was a live round in the chamber, the report said. There is no evidence that Morales fired the gun in the intersection, but two spent cartridge cases were recovered nearby from earlier shots fired, which lead to residents calling police.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
