Shooting apparently self-defense, cops say

"By MIKE WIGGINS/The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
Monday, November 30, 2009

A sworn National Park Service officer who shot another man in the officer’s backyard over the weekend appeared to have acted in self-defense, Grand Junction police said Monday.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the early Saturday morning shooting and have made no arrests. Neither the shooter nor the man who was shot has been identified.

The officer, who lives with his family at 610 Gunnison Ave., called 911 just before 1:30 a.m. Saturday to report an intruder at his home, Sgt. Lonnie Chavez said.

The officer told the man to leave after the man banged on his front door. The man then went around to the back door of the home and tried to enter through there, but the officer told him to leave again, Chavez said.

The man then walked around the side of the house and the officer followed. He shot the man once in the chest after the man “may have lunged at him,” Chavez said.

The officer called 911 again to report the shooting, police said.

Chavez said it appears the officer and the alleged intruder didn’t know each other.

Asked if detectives at this point considered the shooting an act of self-defense, Chavez said, “On its face, that’s where we’re at at this point.” He noted, however, that the Mesa County District Attorney’s Office will make the final determination on whether to file charges.

The alleged intruder was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital, although his condition is unknown. Chavez said he didn’t know whether detectives have interviewed the man."

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