Deceased suspect identified in Pueblo West officer involved shooting

Pueblo west, Colo. (KKTV) - The Pueblo County Coroner’s office has identified 32 year old Richard Ward as the suspect who lost his life after he was shot by a deputy outside of Liberty Point International Middle School in Pueblo West.

It is unclear if Ward had a previous criminal history. Sheriff’s deputies say Ward was banging on car doors outside of the middle school Tuesday afternoon.

Deputies say a witnessed believed he was under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both.

After the school’s principle allegedly confronted Ward and told him to wait in his car the authorities were called. Deputies from the PCSO arrives three minutes later to confront Ward.

They say he exited the vehicle and began assaulting the deputies, and that he headbutted one deputy possibly inflicting a broken nose.

The Sheriff’s office says that Ward and a deputy began fighting on the ground and that Ward tried to disarm the deputy before he was shot.

I have requested body camera footage of the incident. That footage is still being prepared.

The Pueblo Police department is conducting an independent investigation of the incident.

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