On Monday, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office released intense body-cam video surrounding the shooting death of 29-year-old Deputy Zachari Parrish. This footage is heavily edited, leaving out images and audio of the suspect, who has been identified as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl. Parrish’s death is also omitted from the video.
Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock narrated the footage. Deputies were called to Riehl’s home at an apartment complex Dec. 31 at about 3:00 a.m, according to Spurlock. Law enforcement then determined that no crime occurred. They left, but returned after getting a domestic disturbance call regarding the same location. Investigators, including Parrish, soon realized this was a mental issue health, Spurlock said.
As seen in the video, Parrish suggested that Riehl is undergoing a “manic episode,” and that they would hold him in custody on an “M1.” (In Colorado, authorities can detain people with mental health issues if those individuals are determined to be dangerous to themselves or others.) Riehl reportedly opened fire on law enforcement at 5:57 a.m. The sheriff’s office said he took Parrish’s life, and injured Douglas County Deputies Michael Doyle, 28, Jeff Pelle, 32, Taylor Davis, 30, and Castle Rock Police Department SWAT Officer Thomas O’Donnell, 41. Riehl also shot two nearby citizens, authorities said.
According to Spurlock, the deadly incident occurred as follows: Parrish fell in the doorway. Davis jumped headfirst through a window, while Doyle and Pelle left through the front door. Doyle and Pelle then tried to get back into the apartment, but couldn’t because of all the gunfire.
The sheriff’s office said that donations to Parrish’s family and the injured deputies can be sent to a nonprofit. A tweet from Spurlock reads:
We’ve been asked how the community can donate to our deputies involved in today’s shooting. If you’d like to donate you can do so through our fallen officer fund at: https://t.co/eihpRKop8C Thank you all so much for your support! #CopperCanyonOIS
— DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017
The investigation into Riehl, who died in the shootout, remains ongoing. His social media activity showed that he shared many alt-right memes, said he would run to defeat Spurlock in a race for county sheriff, and was highly critical of law enforcement, even calling one deputy a “pimp.”
[Image of Parrish via Douglas County Sheriff’s Office]
