Bureau of Indian Affairs Ute Mountain Ute Agency law enforcement officer involved in shooting

Towaoc, Colo. - On Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, at approximately 9:30 p.m., an officer-involved shooting occurred following Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers from the Ute Mountain Ute Agency responding to a call of a fight in progress on the Ute Mountain Reservation. During the interaction, a BIA officer discharged their department-issued service weapon twice, striking an individual one time.

Emergency medical assistance was provided to the individual. The individual was transported to an area hospital in Cortez, Colorado, and later flown to a hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado. The individual remains at the hospital in stable condition.

The BIA is committed to transparent policing and strengthening the public’s trust in its law enforcement program. The investigation into the incident is being handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The BIA Office of Justice Services Internal Affairs Division is also conducting an administrative review of the incident.

In October 2022, the Department of the Interior announced a series of law enforcement policies to advance transparent and accountable policing practices as part of the continuing implementation of President Biden’s May 2022 Executive Order on Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Strengthen Public Safety.