RAW VIDEO: Knife-Wielding Double Homicide Suspect Shot 7 Times In Walmart Parking Lot

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FORT MORGAN, COLO. — (NEWS RELEASE / Video Below) — On the morning of May 24th, 2018, an Officer Involved Shooting (OIS) occurred outside of the Fort Morgan Wal-Mart store, in the 1300 Blk of Barlow Road, which is immediately south of Exit 82 on I-76.

Just before 6:00 am that same morning, 911 dispatchers with the Morgan County Communications began airing “BOLO” (Be On the Look Out) information to deputies and police officers on-duty in Morgan County, for a vehicle and a suspect involved in a double homicide from New Mexico. The suspect was in a red Volkswagen Jetta with a New Mexico license plate and may be en-route to our area. Initial information indicated the suspect may be suicidal and could possibly be en-route to the Cargill plant in Fort Morgan, or to Sterling.

Sometime later, dispatchers received information the suspect’s cell phone had been “pinged” at locations in Morgan County, and this was also aired by radio to local law enforcement. At about 7:38 am, Morgan County Deputy Sheriff Steve Berlanga radioed that he had located the Jetta, parked and unoccupied, at the Wal-Mart store. Deputy Berlanga, a uniformed deputy in a marked car, parked a distance away to surveil the car. Undersheriff Dave Martin responded to the area in his unmarked vehicle and parked a short distance away where he had a clear view of the Jetta. The Jetta was parked at the far-east end of a parking row, closest to the store, about halfway between the north and south entrances. The car was facing northeast and that particular parking spot was bordered with a concrete curb at the front end of the car, and alongside the passenger side. A small tree was growing directly in front of the car, so basically the only way out of that parking spot was to back up.

Because of the radio traffic, Fort Morgan Police Officers and Colorado State Patrol Troopers responded to the area and set up positions out of sight of the Jetta. Sheriff Jim Crone, also in an unmarked vehicle, parked on the south side of the building where he had limited sight of the Jetta.

The number of vehicles in the parking lot was fairly sparse at that time, and there were no cars parked in close proximity to the Jetta. People walking in and out of the store were many yards away. New Mexico authorities were contacted and the confirmed they wanted the Jetta driver held. The decision was made between Undersheriff Martin and Sheriff Crone to make the arrest if/when the driver returned to
the car, versus attempting to make an arrest within the store. By blocking in the Jetta and making the arrest at the car, it would also help avoid a possible high-speed vehicle chase.

It was decided to send a plainclothes investigator into the store to attempt to identify and locate the suspect, however just before that investigator could arrive, Undersheriff Martin saw a subject approaching the Jetta. Undersheriff Martin saw the male subject was carrying a grocery sack in his hand, but no weapon was visible. Undersheriff Martin radioed that information and said he was moving up on the car. Undersheriff Martin drove his vehicle up to the driver’s side of the Jetta. Sheriff Crone drove up to the rear and parked behind the
Jetta, effectively blocking it in. CSP Trooper Ryan Eldridge, Cpl. Ken Nelson and Deputy Berlanga pulled up facing the car near Undersheriff Martin.

The suspect was still at the driver’s door getting in as the law enforcement vehicles approached. Both Undersheriff Martin and Sheriff Crone got out of their vehicles, which had emergency lights flashing, identified themselves as “police officers” and yelled “don’t move” at the suspect.

The suspect got into the driver’s seat, Undersheriff Martin saw the suspect reach over to the front passenger seat, despite commands being yelled at the suspect to not move. The suspect slammed the door and at that point Sheriff Crone felt the suspect would start the car and ram his patrol vehicle in an attempt to get out. Again, the suspect could be seen directing his attention to the front passenger seat area.

The driver’s door to the Jetta suddenly flew open and Sheriff Crone and Undersheriff Martin immediately felt by the way the door came open, the suspect was coming out to fight or run, not surrender. The suspect’s right hand came out of the car first and both Undersheriff Martin and Sheriff Crone could see the suspect holding what appeared to be a handgun.

Sheriff Crone fired one shot toward the suspect, who then came out of the car facing Undersheriff Martin, who not only thought the item in the suspect’s hand was a gun, but also felt by the suspect’s gaze looking directly at him, the suspect intended to kill him. Both Undersheriff Martin and Sheriff Crone fired shots at the suspect and he fell to the ground.

From the time the suspect threw open the door until he fell to the ground was four (4) seconds.

As the officers approached the suspect to disarm him, the suspect yelled at them, “why didn’t you just shoot me in the fucking head” and “just kill me”. The object in his hand had fallen on the pavement and was now seen to be a black lock-blade knife, with the blade open.

The suspect was identified as Dustin Brian Montano, age 31 who had been living in Albuquerque, New  Mexico. Despite surgeries and some 150+ pints of blood, the suspect died on May 25th
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