Bodycam Shows Officer Shooting Armed Carjacking Suspect

 

The Denver District Attorney’s Office has released body-camera footage from a police shooting that occurred on the night of August 16. The incident involved Cpl. Jeffrey Heinis and a 17-year-old suspect who was fleeing from a stolen vehicle. The car, a 2005 Volvo, had been carjacked at gunpoint two days earlier in Arapahoe County. The video, recorded from Heinis’ chest-mounted camera, provides a detailed view of the high-tension encounter near 10th Avenue and Federal Boulevard.

Heinis turned on his body camera while still in his patrol vehicle as he approached the stolen car. With his weapon already drawn, he quickly exited his cruiser and began shouting commands at the three juveniles inside the vehicle. Although the camera does not clearly show all three suspects, Heinis is heard shouting, “He’s got a gun,” as the scene unfolds rapidly.

One of the teens, later identified only as “LAJ” due to his age, is seen running across the frame in front of Heinis. The teenager, who was visibly holding a black semi-automatic handgun, fled on foot and began climbing a nearby fence. As the teen scaled the fence, Heinis opened fire, discharging 12 rounds. One bullet struck the suspect in the ankle, fracturing a bone. Investigators later confirmed that LAJ never pointed the firearm directly at Heinis, but the officer believed the risk was too high to let him escape.

Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey reviewed the case and, in a letter to Denver Police Chief Robert White, stated that the use of physical force by Heinis was justified. The letter emphasized that LAJ was armed and fleeing, creating what the officer reasonably perceived as a dangerous situation. “Heinis had no other option but to use physical force to prevent the wanted boy’s escape,” Morrissey concluded.

After the shooting, Heinis explained his decision-making process to investigators. He stated that he became extremely fearful for his life and for the safety of the public. “He didn’t leave the gun in the car. He didn’t try to conceal it,” Heinis said during the interview. “He had already used it in the commission of a violent felony. So, I thought, OK, he’s bringing it for a reason.”

Heinis was also concerned that LAJ would scale the fence and disappear into a nearby alley. He described the area beyond the fence as containing a bus stop, residential homes, and potential vehicles that the suspect could carjack. Heinis said he fired because he believed the teen posed an “imminent threat to everybody in the area, including myself.”

“I was probably 30, 35 feet away from him when I started firing shots at him,” Heinis added. That distance, he believed, still presented a clear danger, especially with an armed suspect who had previously used the weapon in a crime. Heinis’ judgment was later supported by the district attorney, who cited the suspect’s possession of a weapon and his refusal to comply with commands.

Following the shooting, the two other juveniles who were in the Volvo were arrested nearby. Both were found to have active warrants and were taken into custody without incident.

As for LAJ, he survived the injury and faced charges in juvenile court. Having since turned 18, he pleaded guilty to felony menacing on November 21. Prosecutors noted that this was his sixth offense, and the court declared him a juvenile delinquent. He was sentenced to a term of one to two years in a youth prison facility.

The incident sparked public interest due to the officer's use of deadly force and the suspect’s age, but ultimately, investigators and prosecutors concluded that the shooting was justified under the circumstances. The case has contributed to ongoing discussions about police use of force, especially in fast-moving situations involving armed juveniles.