Jury awards $19.7M to innocent bystanders shot by Denver police officer

Six people injured during an attack on police in Denver in 2022 will share nearly $20 million in damages after a jury ruled in their favor, their lawyers announced Friday.

The $19.7 million award stems from a civil lawsuit filed against the Denver Police Department related to the July 17, 2022 shooting.

Officer Brandon Ramos previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault, probation and losing his certification to serve as a police officer.

Ramos resigned in February 2024, according to a Denver Police spokesman who declined to comment on the decision.

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At the time of the shooting, Ramos was assigned to a gun violence prevention team patrolling Denver’s Lower Downtown, home to Coors Field and a nightlife corridor, when he and two officers opened fire on a man later identified as Jordan Waddy after he pulled a handgun.

The other two officers did not face any charges in connection with the shooting. Waddy survived the injuries he sustained in the incident.

The grand jury ruled that Ramos was not in immediate danger because Waddy did not turn and confront him. Jurors concluded that the officer failed to explain the large crowd standing behind Waddy.

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Officer Brandon Ramos pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge. (Denver Police Department Facebook)

The victims included one person who was shot in the arm and required surgery, a person who was shot in the back with a bullet exiting his arm, and a third person who was grazed on his foot.

The plaintiffs’ attorneys said in a joint statement that the jury’s award of damages “recognized the pain these six victims endured at the hands of an officer sworn to serve and protect.”

Officer Brandon Ramos resigned from the police department in February 2024. (Chet Strange/Getty Images)

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Lawyer Omeed Azmoudeh said the award sent a “clear message about police behavior” and that the bystanders were “not just a background that you can’t think about”.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.