District Attorney Beth McCann Announces Officer-Involved Shooting Decision

DENVER—On March 2, 2022, a detective with the Arvada Police Department contacted a detective with the Denver Police Department’s Fugitive Unit to advise that he and other Arvada police officers were conducting surveillance on Mr. Vincent Martinez (age 36) who was wanted for attempted murder. Arvada officers tracked Mr. Martinez to a hair salon located at East Yale Avenue and South Colorado Boulevard in Denver and Denver Police Department SWAT and Fugitive Unit team members arrived on scene to assist in the arrest. While attempting to apprehend Mr. Martinez, an officer-involved shooting incident involving two Denver Police Department members ensued. Today, Denver DA McCann released her decision letter on that incident and concluded that no criminal charges are warranted.

“These officers knew that Mr. Martinez was wanted for an attempted homicide in which he allegedly shot a person in the face for little reason,” said DA McCann. “Mr. Martinez resisted arrest by fleeing into a car and locking the door. He then reached inside the glove compartment in a manner consistent with trying to arm himself with a gun. Both officers saw Mr. Martinez with a gun in his hand pointed in their direction and both officers heard, saw and felt a gun being fired at them. For these reasons I do not believe that a Denver jury would find these officers’ actions unjustified.”

Mr. Martinez was shot during the incident; however, he survived his injuries. He is now being prosecuted for six felony counts:  two counts of assault for threating a peace officer (F3), two counts of felony menacing with a real or simulated weapon (F5) and two counts of possessing a weapon by a previous offender (F5). This is Denver District Court case number 22CR1242.

DA McCann’s decision letter to Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen is available for review.

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