A bizarre police shooting last summer that left an extortion suspect dead should not result in criminal charges for any of the officers involved, an Arapahoe County grand jury has ruled.
The grand jury late last month handed down its decision not to charge Officer Randy Carroll with a crime following the July 23 shooting death of Juan Contreras, 59. Arapahoe County prosecutors released documents in the case Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors said Contreras’ family has been notified.
The grand jury interviewed dozens of witnesses, including Carroll and other officers who helped plan the undercover operation that went sour in front of a Family Dollar store on East Colfax Avenue.
The grand jury found that criminal charges against Carroll could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
“The shooting death of Juan De Dios Contreras by Officer Randy Carroll, while tragic, cannot be the basis of any criminal charges,” the grand jury report said.
According to witnesses, Contreras was “amped up” and refused numerous orders from Carroll to drop a knife before he was shot.
In a statement after the shooting, Aurora police Chief Dan Oates said the department’s internal affairs unit will now investigate the shooting. After that, a Tactical Review Board will look at the case.
“We need to learn every lesson we can from this tragic event,” Oates said.
The incident started early July 23 when Contreras found an elderly woman’s car keys in a grocery store parking lot a few blocks from where he was shot. Police say Contreras left a note on the woman’s car with a phone number stating she could have her keys back if she paid $50.
The woman called police and officers decided to have Carroll, a patrol officer, lure Contreras rather than use an officer who routinely works undercover. Carroll took off his uniform and drove the woman’s car to meet the man. He did not bring a badge and carried only a .357 revolver in an ankle holster, a police radio and a pair of handcuffs.
Carroll and Contreras met in front of the store near Colfax and Peoria Street and Contreras, seated in the driver’s seat of an SUV, told the officer the price had gone up to $100.
At that point, Carroll told Contreras he was a police officer and tried to arrest him. Contreras punched the officer in the face and grabbed a folding knife from the console of the SUV, flicking it several times in an attempt to open it.
Carroll said Contreras also reached behind the console with his other hand. The officer stepped back, drew his weapon and repeatedly told Contreras to drop the knife, according to the report. Carroll also told a nearby witness to step away from the vehicle.
When Contreras refused several orders, Carroll shot him three times in his chest, killing him.
Witnesses said Carroll was distraught after the shooting and asked another officer for gloves so he could help treat Contreras before an ambulance arrived.
Contreras’ family said after the shooting he didn’t realize the man who came to get the keys was an officer.
A few days after the shooting, Chief Oates announced a Tactical Review Board would investigate the decisions that led up to the shooting. Oates stressed that the TRB will not look at whether the officer acted appropriately when he shot Contreras. Instead, the board will look at the department’s decision to use an undercover team to arrest Contreras.
Oates instituted the TRB process in 2006. It brings together a group of senior commanders and lower level officers to review all aspects of an operation.
Reach reporter Brandon Johansson at 720-449-9040 or bjohansson@aurorasentinel.com