The family of Christian Glass, a 22-year-old man who called 911 for help, has reached a $19 million settlement after police shot him to death.
The family of a 22-year-old Colorado man who was shot dead by police has reached a record $19 million settlement, it was announced this week.
Christian Glass had called for help in June 2022 after his vehicle became stuck on a mountain road about 45 miles west of Denver. Officers from several agencies responded.
"My vehicle got stuck in a really bad way," he told the dispatcher.
"Are there any weapons that you are aware of?" the operator asked.
"I have two knives and a hammer and a rubber mallet. I guess that's a weapon," he replied. "I'm not dangerous. I will keep my hands completely visible."
Officers negotiated with Glass for more than an hour. He appeared to be having a mental health episode, and at one point, he held up his hands in the shape of a heart.
"We love you too. We just want you to be safe," a female officer said as she approached his car. Bodycam video showed officers yelling multiple times for him to exit the car, but he did not get out.
Eventually, an officer broke his car window and Glass was tased. He was told to drop the knife he was holding.
Then multiple shots were fired.
Two Clear Creek County Sheriff's deputies, Andrew Buen and Kyle Gould, were fired over the fatal shooting and were indicted in November in connection with Glass' death. Buen was charged with second-degree murder, reckless endangerment and official misconduct. Gould was charged with reckless endangerment and criminally negligent homicide.
They have pleaded not guilty to all charges and their trials are ongoing. Authorities later determined Glass posed no threat to responding officers.
"This settlement sends a message that such injustice will not be tolerated, and that those responsible will be held accountable, including those officers who stood by and failed to intervene to protect Christian," lawyers for Glass' family said in a statement.
"The size of the settlement reflects the immense wrong and injustice committed by the officers that killed Christian, whose death has broken his family and left an immeasurable void."
The settlement is the largest in Colorado history and one of the biggest in the country, the attorneys said.
As part of the settlement, police training policies will be updated to show officers how to deal with similar situations and a park will be named after Christian Glass. His artwork will also be displayed in state buildings.
