On the night of June 15, a car was stolen. After a turn of events, Longmont Police Officer Nathan Miller fired his gun. This prompted the Longmont Police Department and the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office to launch an investigation.
The police were notified that a car had been stolen in the Longmont area. The owner of the car also reported that there was an unsecured handgun that had been left in the vehicle. Police were able to track the stolen vehicle and stop it using stop sticks, according to a news release from the DA’s Office. However, the suspect fled.
Another call came in that reported that the suspect was hiding in the garage of a nearby neighborhood. Longmont SWAT officers gathered outside the home and made several announcements that they were there, according to the news release.
SWAT officers approached the house and heard screams from inside. Believing the homeowners were in danger, the officers entered the home.
The homeowners thought the officers entering their home were the intruder and began shooting at the officers with a pellet gun. Miller — one of the officers to enter the home — made the assumption that the pellet gun was a real firearm and began shooting at the homeowner. He shot seven shots within five seconds, all of which missed the homeowner, but barely, the news release states.
Miller was placed on administrative leave during the investigation.
The DA’s Office determined, after an investigation, that it was reasonable for Miller to believe the person confronting him with a weapon posed an imminent threat of deadly harm, the news release states.
As a result, no criminal charges will be filed against Miller.
“Bad decisions and miscommunication almost resulted in a tragedy. What started as a stolen car quickly escalated because an unsecured gun had been left inside the car … It is incredibly fortunate that no one was injured or killed in this confusing sequence of events,” said Michael Dougherty, Boulder Count District Attorney.
The suspect who allegedly stole the car was later found hiding in a neighbor’s backyard. He was arrested and is facing prosecution from the DA’s office.
