WARNING, GRAPHIC: Colorado Springs Police release body camera footage after shooting dog and suspect

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - WARNING GRAPHIC: Colorado Springs Police released a video on Wednesday in connection to an officer-involved shooting that happened on March 13.

The video was edited by the Colorado Springs Police Department and can be viewed at the top of this article. The shooting happened inside a home in the 1000 block of N. Foote Avenue. The neighborhood is south of the Patty Jewett Golf Course.

In the video, police explained they received a request from HSPPR to execute a search warrant for the seizure of a “dangerous dog” that had recently injured several people on March 11. The owner of the dog and the suspect, Jose Aponte, was “uncooperative” and had active arrest warrants according to authorities. A protection order also prohibited the suspect from being at the residence. Police executed a search warrant. Police add the “dangerous dog,” a large pit bull, attacked an officer and bit him on the leg. To stop the attack, the officer fired a shot at the dog and killed it. At that time, police could not locate Jose.

On March 12, police received a tip that a wanted man was at a home in the 1000 block of N. Foote Ave. Officers were reportedly given permission by the resident at the home to search the home for Aponte. In the first search, police didn’t locate him. After the first search, the female resident told officers Aponte was in the home hiding. The second search went on until Jose was located.

Part of the video shows police attempting to make contact with a person they identify as “Jose.” You can hear an officer asking Jose to show him his hands as the suspect appears to lay face down with his hands hidden behind a trash bag in what appears to be a crawl space. The suspect talks back saying “you shot my dog, you listen to me. I’m getting shot too. I’m dying too.” An officer responds, “we don’t want to do that man, just hear us out,” before you can hear a tazer being deployed. The shooting happened just after midnight on March 13.

Officers continue to tell the suspect to show his hands until the suspect makes a quick motion and it appears something is in his hand. While making the motion, officers fired shots. Officers then rendered aid to the suspect. The suspect survived.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is investigating and will refer the case to the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and they will determine if the use of force was necessary.

According to online court records, the suspect has an open warrant for charges of assault and a protection order violation from March 12 as of Wednesday.

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