By Katie Langford
The Denver Publish
DENVER — Six individuals who have been injured when a Denver Police Department officer fired into a crowd whereas making an attempt to shoot an armed man in Decrease Downtown in 2022 will obtain practically $20 million in damages, a jury dominated Friday.
The $19.75 million ruling within the civil lawsuit comes at some point after jurors started deliberating whether or not former officer Brandon Ramos was answerable for injuring Yekalo Weldehiwet, Bailey Alexander, Willis Small IV, Mark Bess, Angelica Rey and Ayla Bersage when he opened fireplace on a suspect standing in entrance of a crowd close to a meals truck within the early hours of July 17, 2022.
| REGISTER NOW: Protecting major events from drone threats
“The decision sends an unmistakable message that officers should contemplate the protection of our communities after they determine to make use of lethal power,” attorneys with the Denver agency Rathod Mohamedbhai stated in a press release. “Officers can not deal with the folks of Colorado as collateral harm.”
Via the lawsuit, the six bystanders requested the jury for $13 million for damages together with misplaced wages, medical payments and ache and struggling and $13 million for punitive damages.
Ramos was one in all three Denver cops who confronted a 23-year-old man they suspected of being concerned in a struggle close to the Larimer Beer Corridor.
The officers shot the suspect, Jordan Waddy, as he pulled out a gun from his waistband, holding it by the slide. Two of the officers shot him from the entrance, however Ramos fired from the facet, hitting bystanders within the crowd behind Waddy.
Ramos was indicted on 14 expenses within the case and pleaded guilty to at least one depend of third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, in a plea cope with the Denver District Lawyer’s Workplace. He was sentenced to 18 months of probation and might by no means work in Colorado legislation enforcement once more.
Waddy, who was additionally injured within the capturing, was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison after pleading responsible to at least one depend of conspiracy to commit possession of a weapon by a earlier offender in 2024.
Ramos resigned from the Denver Police Division in February 2024. Company officers on Friday declined to touch upon the decision.
An legal professional for Ramos couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.
Different current lawsuits involving Denver police have been settled for smaller sums, together with $1.5 million authorised by the Metropolis Council this week to settle lawsuits filed by six folks over use of power throughout the 2020 George Floyd protests.
Video exhibits the person asking Stafford Cops to assist him tie his tie; one of many officers was capable of train him and even to follow with him
Leaders who fail to prioritize communications threat dropping public belief — and even their jobs
BWC video exhibits former Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson capturing Massey after she held up a pot of boiling water and stated, “I rebuke you within the identify of Jesus”
©2025 MediaNews Group, Inc. Go to at denverpost.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
