A federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed by a man who was shot in the ankle by former Aurora police officer Douglas Harroun. The incident occurred on December 31, 2022, when Harroun responded to a domestic violence call at a residence on North Chambers Road. Harroun, who is currently facing criminal charges in relation to the shooting, was charged with two counts of assault in June 2023. His trial is scheduled for October.
Harroun, 34, resigned from the Aurora Police Department in January 2023 following another incident on January 11, 2023, where he assaulted a woman while she was walking her dog. He was subsequently arrested and charged with three counts of assault and one count of attempting to influence a public servant. This case is set for trial in September.
Duvan Jamir Fernandez Zuluaga, 37, the man who was shot by Harroun, has now filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against both Harroun and the city of Aurora. Zuluaga claims that the officer should never have fired his weapon. The city declined to comment on the lawsuit.
According to an affidavit filed against Harroun, he and another officer responded to Zuluaga’s home after a 911 call reported a domestic disturbance. Zuluaga, his husband, and another individual were in the basement apartment, while Zuluaga’s wife was in a separate unit upstairs. The wife informed the officers that her husband was not being violent and did not possess any weapons.
Upon arriving at the basement door, Harroun and the other officer ordered Zuluaga’s husband to come out. When he refused, the officers drew their guns and entered the basement. They instructed the three men to raise their hands, and they complied. Harroun then handcuffed the husband after a brief struggle.
As Harroun attempted to pull the husband up the stairs, Zuluaga started to follow them. Harroun ordered him to stop, but Zuluaga, who speaks limited English, took a few additional steps forward. Harroun then shot Zuluaga in the ankle. An investigation of the body-worn camera footage revealed that Zuluaga did not exhibit any aggressive behavior that would justify the shooting.
Harroun admitted to intentionally shooting Zuluaga in the leg because he couldn’t get a clear shot at his torso. He falsely claimed that Zuluaga had rushed up the stairs at him immediately after the gunshot. Zuluaga’s lawsuit states that he was unable to put weight on his foot for a month following the shooting and had to undergo weeks of physical therapy to regain function in his ankle. He continues to experience difficulties running or participating in sports, and part of his ankle remains permanently numb.
