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A shocking new video shows the moment a Colorado police officer rammed his SUV into a man riding a stolen motorcycle, after the public was told the man crashed.
The officer then opened fire on the man, later identified as 41-year-old Stephen Poolson, killing him. The incident occurred on February 2.
Shortly after the shooting, a Littleton Police Department news release made no reference to the ramming. The statement said Poolson, who was on probation, had crashed the motorcycle and “pulled out a weapon.”
Police were called to the area after receiving a report of a suspicious vehicle in the area. The video shows that the shooting took place at 1:05 am. It was first reported by 9 News in denver
The clip shows Poolson being knocked off the motorcycle by a police cruiser and then running from the officer. The suspect is left without a frame and the fatal shooting cannot be seen. Poolson later died at a local hospital.
According to Stephen Poolson’s mother, the suspect was shot five times in the back.
TO GoFundMe Page which has been set up to help Poolson’s family pay for his funeral, alleges he was shot five times in the back.
A longer version of the video shows a brief interaction between the deceased man and the police officer before the charge.
In a statement about the discrepancy between the video and the original press release, a Littleton police spokesperson said: “The Littleton Police Department (LPD) was contacted this morning regarding a video that contained images that contradicted a previous statement published by the LPD on the morning of February 2, 2023.
“This is why LPD has policies and procedures that involve investigations, our goal is always to find the most accurate information possible, and sometimes that information takes time,” the statement continued.
He continued: “Based on this video, it has come to light that the motorcycle did not in fact crash, but was, in fact, contacted by a patrol vehicle.”
The original press release was issued just over two hours after the shooting. It was later updated to include Poolson’s name.
Online records show that Poolson has a lengthy criminal history. In 2006, he was sentenced to three years in prison in Boulder County on threatening charges. In 2013, he spent six months in prison on robbery charges.
Most recently, in 2021, Poolson was sentenced to six months in prison on motor vehicle theft charges. After his release, he was charged with violating his probation by failing to attend mental health counseling.
In May 2022, Poolson pleaded guilty to motor vehicle theft and was sentenced to two years probation, meaning he was on probation at the time of his death.
Stephen Poolson has a long criminal record that includes prison time. He was on probation at the time of his death.
The original Littleton Police Department news release made no reference to the officer who struck Poolson.
The police officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation.
The scene after the shooting on February 2.
After the shooting, Poolson was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
According to numerous tributes on social media, Poolson went by the nickname Louisiana. He was a native of Baton Rouge.
His wife paid tribute, saying: ‘This man, my heart, my soul, was shot and killed by the Littleton Police Department. Please, please, please if nothing else gets the word out. This death has to mean something, his life has to mean something!
According to his obituary, Poolson is survived by his wife, stepdaughter, parents and sister.
The tribute says in one section: ‘Stephen loved life and lived it large. Stephen rarely sat still, he loved to ride motorcycles, four wheelers, boats and play in the dirt. He liked to travel, see unknown places and meet people.
He is described as a New Orleans Saints fan, proud of his Louisiana roots and of being the life of the party and having a unique sense of humor.
Poolson was described as a New Orleans Saints fan, proud of his Louisiana roots and of being the life of the party and having a unique sense of humor.
In December 2022, Poolson posted a screenshot of an email he sent to his mental health counselor. He was required to serve sessions as part of his parole agreement.
He wrote in part: “My conviction is auto theft, it has nothing to do with the face that I’m crazy.” The suspect said that he could not afford to continue attending the sessions.
The suspect added: “Mentally, I am stable at the moment and as far as informing my probation officer, go ahead because IDGAF.”
The incident is being investigated by several outside law enforcement agencies. The officer involved has been placed on administrative leave as is standard procedure.
The Littleton Police Department has said it will release the body camera footage and all other related media files to the public.