Denver police officer Brandon Ramos pleaded not guilty on Friday morning to assault charges related to an incident that occurred in January. Ramos is facing 14 counts, including two counts of second-degree assault, six counts of third-degree assault, one count of prohibited use of a weapon, and five counts of reckless endangerment. The trial is scheduled to begin on February 20, 2024.
The charges against Ramos stem from an incident where he allegedly fired at a suspect in the direction of a crowd near 20th and Larimer in Denver’s nightlife district. Five individuals were hit by the bullets, and four of them sustained injuries.
Ramos’ decision to open fire in the direction of the crowd has been deemed “reckless, unreasonable, and unnecessary.” However, the Denver Police Protective Association President, Tyson Worrell, expressed support for Ramos, stating that he was acting as he was trained and should not be treated as a criminal.
The incident occurred on July 17, 2022, when Denver police officers were monitoring a crowd and followed a man, Jordan Waddy, whom they believed to be involved in a fight and potentially armed. When Waddy stopped near the Larimer Beer Hall, he grabbed a handgun hidden in his waistband and threw it to the ground. Three officers, including Ramos, fired at Waddy after he grabbed the gun. Ramos fired two rounds that struck bystanders in the crowd.
The grand jury found that the rounds fired by the other two officers did not injure any bystanders. However, Ramos stood to Waddy’s side, and both rounds he fired flew into the crowd.
Author: Ryan Scott
Just a guy