No charges filed against officers in deadly April shooting

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - District Attorney Dan Rubinstein released his investigation’s report into a deadly officer involved shooting from April 1, 2023, determining the three officers involved will not be brought up on charges.

According to the report, officers, Trevor Olsen, Taylor Rapp and Corporal Logan Martin were acting in self-defense when 27-Erick Jara was killed. Grand Junction Police got a call from Jara’s roommate, Darby Willis, who said Jara was intoxicated and said Jara stabbed him with a knife. Willis was able to leave the home, and Jara was spotted near 17th Street and Walnut Avenue.

Officers spotted Jara, trying to make verbal contact with him. The officers said Jara had his hands inside his gray hoody’s pocket and despite multiple commands to show his hands, Jara refused to comply. Eventually, according to the report and police body camera footage, Jara is seen running toward the officers, pulling one hand out of his pocket with what looked like a straight shiny object. According to the report, at least one of the officers fired his taser hitting Jara, but multiple gun shots were also fired.

Jara hit the ground with wounds to his left arm, hand and abdomen. Initially, Jara survived the shooting and officers rendered aide until paramedics arrived and took him to the hospital. Jara later died.

In the report’s conclusion, Rubinstein said the officers who fired reasonably believe they or other citizens were in imminent danger of Jara causing death or great bodily injury to them. He said the officers responded lawfully and appropriately; thus no charges would be filed against them.

According to the report, if Erick Jara did survive the incident, he would have been charged with second degree assault on Darby Willis and attempted assault on the officers.