By Police1 Staff
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Recently released body cam footage shows two Colorado police officers fatally shooting a man after he failed to drop a knife despite being asked more than 40 times.
The Coloradoan reports that on July 1, Colorado State University Cpl. Phil Morris and Officer Erin Mast encountered Jeremy Holmes, 19, after his mother called 911 and said he had a large knife and wanted to kill his brother and sister-in-law. As Morris reached for his TASER, Holmes charged at him. The officers fired six shots at Holmes before he fell to the ground.
Holmes was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The suspect was carrying an 11.25-inch bayonet knife that he purchased at a pawn shop a few days before the incident. Holmes’ mother, Susan, said on the call that her son planned to charge at police “so that he’ll die that day.”
Fort Collins Police Interim Chief Terry Jones said the situation is unfortunate, but the officers did everything to de-escalate the situation.
“Mr. Holmes made that choice to charge the officer and the officers had to protect themselves,” Jones said.
The officers were cleared of any wrongdoing on July 18.