Boulder Fire-Rescue issued a statement on Monday following the Boulder County District Attorney’s filing of manslaughter charges against an American Medical Response (AMR) paramedic on July 11. Edward Ray McClure was found to be partly responsible for the death of Jesus Lopez Barcenas on December 27, 2024. After a months-long investigation by the Boulder County DA’s Office, McClure was formally charged with manslaughter and forgery for his role in the incident.
“As an all-hazards response agency, Boulder Fire-Rescue is dedicated to protecting and serving the community with care, professionalism, and integrity in line with Boulder County Protocols and National Standards,” the Boulder Fire-Rescue statement said. “All Boulder Fire-Rescue personnel are certified emergency medical technicians, and some are licensed paramedics, trained to provide advanced life support.”
McClure sedated the handcuffed patient following a struggle between Barcenas and the University of Colorado police officers. The investigation revealed that McClure did not provide a proper medical assessment before sedating the patient. The final report released by the DA office found McClure did not follow AMR protocols and the technique he used to sedate, restrain, and place the patient into a prone, upright position contributed to the death of Barcenas.
“Although some time has passed since the incident, the death of Mr. Barcenas remains a deeply tragic outcome,” said Jenna Steege, Division Chief of EMS for Boulder Fire-Rescue. “My thoughts are with his family and loved ones as they continue to endure this loss. As part of our standard continuous quality improvement process, Boulder Fire-Rescue’s involvement was reviewed to ensure alignment with our EMS operational expectations and responsibilities. AMR management conducted their own internal review of the Dec. 27, 2024, incident and informed me that it resulted in the termination of one of their employees.”
