[kellyhound]

07/13/2015 A medical examiner has identified a man who died after being shot several times Sunday night by a Denver police officer at a mobile home park.

The Denver Officer of the Medical Examiner said 35-year-old Paul Castaway of Denver died from gunshot wounds to the torso.

Police Chief Robert White said at a news conference after the shooting that the man, later identified as Castaway, was armed with a knife and running at two officers when he was shot. White said Castaway was "dangerously close" when he was gunned down.

Castaway was taken by ambulance to Denver Health Medical Center in very critical condition before his death.

Castaway's criminal record dates back to 1997 when he was arrested on a misdemeanor hit-and-run by the Wheat Ridge Police Department.

Over the years, the level of charges filed against him escalated to felony weapon possession, assaults, burglary, parole violations and protection order violations, according to records searches.

His most recent charge was filed in January when he failed to appear in court on multiple traffic violations, including driving under the influence.

Sunday's shooting happened at the Capital City Mobile Home Park at 4501 W. Kentucky Ave. about 7 p.m.

White said investigators believe Castaway stabbed his mother in the neck before he was shot. Police say her injuries appear to be non-life threatening.

One officer fired several shots at Castaway. Residents said they heard three or four gunshots.

Police declined to immediately release further information in the case.

The officer who shot the man has been placed on administrative leave, per the police department's policy.

Sept 14, Newly released details and video reveal the moment Denver police officers decided they had to pull the trigger and shoot a man who was holding a knife to his own neck. Those officers will not be charged with any wrongdoing in the incident, Denver's District Attorney decided Monday.

The video comes from surveillance cameras from an office and laundry facility in the middle Capital City Mobile Home Park in Denver where the July 12 shooting occurred.

The video recovered from one of those cameras on the building at 4501 W. Kentucky Avenue was reviewed by the DA in his consideration of the case.

Prior to the incident, the DA's report finds Paul Castaway had broken into his mother's home. She was babysitting her grandchildren and believed he was drunk, high or both.

Castaway was armed with a knife, "poked" his mother in the neck and broke some items before running away when another family member arrived. His mother called 911 and explained he was suicidal and armed with a knife.

Castaway was later spotted by his mother, as police officers escorted her back to her home. The police could see he had a knife with a wooden handle and chased him.

The street was crowded with several children playing and a young girl taking out the trash. As Castaway approaches them, with the officers behind him, the kids scatter and run away.

Video shows Castaway running and crouching behind a wooden fence, raising the knife to his own neck and then standing to walk toward the officers. As he advances the officers back up slowly, until Castaway is only a few feet away.

"In this case, Castaway’s decision to turn, confront the officers and deliberately advance toward Officer (Michael) Truadt, knife in hand, rather than complying with his orders, compelled Officer Traudt to shoot," DA Mitch Morrissey wrote in the letter explaining his decision.

Castaway falls to the ground, with the knife still in his left hand. Officer Jerry Lara grabs Castaway's left arm to control it and remove the knife.

In July, some members of Castaway's family protested the police officers' actions. Although the surveillance video hadn't been released to the public at the time, they said the manager of the mobile home park had showed it to them.

Those family members argued that Castaway never threatened officers and did not believe the shooting was justified.

However, Morrissey decided that Officer Traudt was legally justified in firing the fatal shot.

"In this investigation we are, once again, presented with a situation in which police officers are called to deal with someone who is violent, apparently suicidal, and who has an astounding combination of alcohol and controlled substances in his system," Morrissey wrote.

"As is all too often the case, the actions and decisions of the subject place an officer who is attempting to take the subject into custody or 'talk him down' in an untenable situation: a situation where the officer will, in many instances, be driven by the subject’s actions to use some degree of physical force or deadly physical force."

Monday evening, Castaway's mother Lilian Castaway, who also goes by Lynne Eagle Feather, told she disagreed with the decision.

"You need to investigate these policemen that are killing our children," she said. "My son needed help, he didn't need to be killed by you people."

Castaway said she plans to sue to the police to hold them responsible and make sure they have the proper training when dealing with mental illness.

"Every time I've called the police, I've told them that he has a mental health problem and that he's schizophrenic. Every single time," said Lilian Castaway. "And every time he's gotten arrested with no problem like this."

[BIG DAWG]

[dockman]

He kept walking toward the cop. What did he expect? IDK, could have been suicide?

[WH Bonney]

Or gambling on a lawsuit. That seems to be what everyone is doing now. "Yo *****, just run right at those mufukkas, and if you don't die, you gitttin' paaaaaid."

Or something like that.

[Ksiegmund]

He was mentally ill...Don't any of you goofballs read descriptions? A taser would have been equally effective and non-fatal

[AceGoober]

While I sincerely feel for the mother, how many times do the police have to be called to contend with the clearly fucked-in-the-brain individual? Especially considering Castaway exhibited increasingly violent behavior since his first arrest in 1997.

Personally, I believe the police officers did the community a favor by removing Castaway from the gene pool. He wasn't a productive member of society and proved more than once that he was a danger to society.

[records1]

Having a surname of Castaway, he was at a disadvantage already.

[tarvin890]

cant they learn to shoot their legs....

[sugargliderdude]

Originally Posted by tarvin890 ↗

cant they learn to shoot their legs....

then you risk the chance of bullets deflecting off the ground and hitting bystanders...

[Vamooska]

Originally Posted by Ksiegmund ↗

He was mentally ill...Don't any of you goofballs read descriptions? A taser would have been equally effective and non-fatal

You friggin read. It was his mom that said that...not a qualified individual AND it is heresy, therefore you need to read the passage yo damn self. Don't be so quick to judge...goofball