EVANS, Colo.—A deputy shot after chasing a suspected car thief was killed by his own gun, the Weld County sheriff’s office said Wednesday.
Sheriff John Cooke told the Greeley Tribune that Deputy Sam Brownlee was shot Tuesday during a struggle with suspected car thief Rueben Reyes. He said Brownlee and Reyes were wrestling on the ground when Reyes got the deputy’s gun and shot him three times.
Officers from several northern Colorado agencies said they pursued Reyes from Fort Morgan, where he is suspected of stealing a car from a woman. He stopped the car in an Evans neighborhood and officers struggled with him as they removed him from the car, Cooke said.
Reyes was shot by an Evans police officer at the scene and later died, sheriff’s officials said.
Brownlee, 43, leaves a wife, two children and two stepchildren. He’s the first Weld County deputy to be killed in 70 years.
Reyes, 20, was sentenced earlier this year to 90 days in jail in a felony menacing case. Court records also show he has a history of driving-related offenses. Greeley police said he was a gang member.
Reyes’ family said Wednesday they were sorry for the pain caused to Brownlee’s family. He had a job at the meat-packing plant in Fort Morgan and had two children, his family said.
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Information from: Greeley Daily Tribune,
