DENVER ( KDVR ) — Charges will not be filed against a Colorado State Patrol trooper who shot and killed a man who fired multiple shots at him on U.S. Highway 36 in 2024.
After reviewing the incident, the 17th Judicial District Attorney, Brian Mason, said this week in a decision letter obtained by FOX31 that Cpl. Tye Simcox was justified in shooting and killing Victor De Santiago , 32, on Sept. 7, 2024 .
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Not only was Simcox found to be legally justified in shooting Santiago, but the DA said his actions were “courageous” and “heroic.”
Suspect ‘ambushed’ trooper with gunfire
On the afternoon of the shooting, Simcox had conducted a traffic stop and then parked his CSP Ford F-150 in the toll entry area of eastbound U.S. 36 west of Federal Boulevard. He was completing paperwork and watching traffic while parked, according to the DA’s review.
Simcox heard a bang and initially thought it was a crash, but a series of gunshots followed it. The suspect was driving a Chevrolet Silverado and pulled alongside the CSP vehicle and fired a semi-automatic handgun into the vehicle, striking Simcox in the right forearm…