Family of man shot dead after calling police for help finally get $19million payout

The family of a man who was shot dead by police are set to receive $19million (£15m) after a lawsuit was finally settled following his death last June.

Christian Glass had called police after his car became stuck on an embankment in Silver Plume, Colorado. He told dispatchers he thought he was being followed.

His mother later said he had been suffering a mental health crisis that day and was “petrified”.

Bodycam footage from the officers that responded to his 911 call show the 22-year-old saying he was afraid to exit the car and could be seen making heart shapes with his hands to the officers and praying.

He offers to throw two knives out of the vehicle but is told by police not to.

After lengthy negotiations, officers smash a window of the vehicle and taser him. A panicked Mr Glass then brandishes a knife before being shot five times.

While an initial police statement indicated he was the aggressor, a grand jury found officers needlessly escalated the stand-off and said Mr Glass did not pose a threat.

Two officers, sheriff’s deputy Andrew Buen and his supervisor Kyle Gould, are being prosecuted over the incident.

Buen, who shot Mr Glass, is charged with second degree murder. Gould is charged with negligent homicide.

Both officers lawyers tried to get their cases thrown out, but were unsuccessful.

Siddhartha Rathod, lawyer for Mr Glass’ parents, Sally and Simon Glass, said they hoped police would intervene in similar incidents in future.

“Any of the seven officers there could have stopped this simply by saying something,” he said.

“They want to empower law enforcement to have this courage.

“The size of the settlement reflects the immense wrong and injustice committed by the officers.”

A video message from the couple will be shown to police officers at the start of a training course about how to intervene if they feel a colleague is going too far.

The settlement, which will be paid by both state and local authorities, is the largest lawsuit settlement in Colorado’s history.

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