Newly released videos capture the distressing moment an armed 22-year-old Colorado man was shot dead by police after he crashed his car and appeared to be in the throes of a paranoid breakdown.
Christian Glass, a citizen of the US, UK and New Zealand, called 911 for help after he crashed into a ditch in the small mountain town of Silver Plume late on June 10 — telling cops he was “terrified.”
“I’m stuck in a dangerous place and I will be killed,” he told the dispatcher, saying he was convinced that shadowy figures were following him.
“I’m gonna have to kill some skin-walkers, ” he said, referring to the shapeshifting witches of Navajo legend.
“If I got out of the car I might be in danger … It’s so terrifying. I am so scared. I love you for being with me,” he told the dispatcher.
Glass then also confessed to having weapons in the car to help defend himself against his supposed oppressors — but promised he was “not dangerous.”
“I have two knives, a hammer and a rubber mallet … But I am not dangerous, I will keep my hands completely visible,” he told the dispatcher, offering to throw them out once officers arrived.
The dispatcher passed on that Glass “sounds very paranoid,” and a Clear Creek County sheriff’s deputy who was one of the first to respond calmly asked him, “Do you need medical, brother?”
“No, dude, we’re not gonna shoot you,” one officer is heard telling Glass, who removed his keys from the ignition but said he was too terrified to get out of the SUV.
“Sir, I’m terrified … I am so scared,” Glass replies calmly through a crack in his driver’s window, offering to throw out his weapons and also follow the officers to their precinct to ensure his safety.
But as Glass holds his hands on the dash, one of the officers draws a gun after seeing a knife, barking, “Step out of the f—ing car now.”
The exchange appeared to escalate Glass’ paranoia, with him asking the officer, “Why are you scared of a knife if you are wanting to chat?”
Glass then holds his hands in a heart shape at the arrival of more officers.
During the standoff, a Colorado State Police sergeant stressed in radio messages that there was no reason to breach the car because no crimes had been committed and Glass did not appear “suicidal, homicidal or a great danger.”
However, five minutes later, officers moved to smash open his car door to remove Glass from the vehicle — prompting the 22-year-old to pick up one of the knives.
Bodycam footage of Christian Glass' deadly shooting.
One of the officers had even approached Glass’ SUV window and calmly reassured him, “We’re OK — you’re not scaring me, man.”
Authorities finally break the window around 15 minutes later — immediately screaming orders at him to “drop the knife.”
Glass repeatedly screams in terror, his head swinging around to look at the officers surrounding his vehicle.
He continues screaming in clear terror as officers fire beanbags at him — and one of the officers calls out, “Someone tase his ass!”