Colorado deputies shoot and kill man who asked for help after car crash

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After getting stuck on a dirt road in Clear Creek County in June, Christian Glass called 911 for help.

Instead, the 22-year-old was killed while locked inside his own car after a long, tense, confusing and chaotic confrontation played out between him and Clear Creek deputies and a handful of other agencies. Video footage was released by his family’s lawyers.

“I’m in a 2007 Honda Pilot. I will not be fine on my own,” he told an operator. “You’re sending someone right? You tracked my location? My car is stuck under a bush … I love you. You’re my light right now. I’m really scared. I’m sorry.”

A Boulder County resident, Glass was an amateur geologist and had some knives and a hammer in his car from a recent trip to Utah.

Glass, whose parents are from the United Kingdom and New Zealand, told the dispatcher he had what could be perceived as weapons in the car and he offered to throw them outside when officers arrived.

“I have two knives and a hammer and a rubber mallet,” he said, in a slight accent, to the emergency dispatcher. “I’m not dangerous. I’ll keep my hands completely visible. I understand this is a dodgy situation.”

The dispatcher relayed that information to deputies.

“I’m not having any luck clearing this party and he’s not making much sense,” the dispatcher told the deputies.

When they arrived on the scene, Glass again offered to throw the tools and knives out the window.

Deputies said they didn’t want him to throw the weapons out of the car and instead demanded that he get out of the car.

Glass told officers with his hands up that he didn’t feel safe getting out of the car. He took the keys out of the ignition and put them on the dashboard and told them he was scared and wanted to stay in the car. He wasn’t suspected of any crime.

“Please push me out, drag me out, I’ll follow you to a police station,” Glass told the officers. “I’m so scared.”

More officers arrived on the scene. At one point, officers from Clear Creek, Idaho Springs, Georgetown Police, Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Division of Gaming were on the scene.

But the increasing number of officers on the scene remained there, engaged for almost an hour and 20 minutes, attempting to get Glass to come out of the car. At one point, a deputy climbed on to the hood of the car and shined a flashlight into his eyes and remained there, eventually drawing his gun and pointing down into the car at Glass.

“We’re poppin’,” a deputy said as they attempted to break the car window. Glass picked up the knife.

“He’s got a knife in his hand!” another officer said. “Watch crossfire, watch crossfire."

The first officer on the scene deployed his yellow Taser gun and struck Glass. He started screaming again. Officers were on all sides of him at this point with flashlights beaming. A few seconds go by, and officers scream at him again to drop his knife.

“You can save yourself!” he yelled, his last words. “You can still save yourself! Lord hear me. Lord hear me.”

One deputy fired several rounds, striking him and killing him.

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The next morning, on June 11, deputies released a press release with the following information:

“Deputies were able to break out the car windows and remove one knife. The suspect rearmed himself with a rock and a second knife,” it read. “Deputies deployed less-lethal bean bags, and Taser with negative results. The suspect eventually tried to stab an officer and was shot. The suspect was pronounced deceased on scene.”

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