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Ex-Colorado Deputy Receives Maximum Sentence for Fatally Shooting Man in Mental Health Crisis
DENVER — A former sheriff’s deputy in Colorado has been sentenced to the maximum of three years in prison after being convicted of criminally negligent homicide in the death of a 22-year-old man experiencing a mental health crisis. Judge Catherine Cheroutes stated the fatal shooting of Christian Glass was an abuse of power when delivering the sentence on Monday.
Deputy Sentenced in 2022 Killing of Christian Glass
Andrew Buen was found guilty in February for the 2022 death of Christian Glass. The case garnered national attention and sparked widespread calls for reforming law enforcement protocols when interacting with individuals facing mental health challenges.
Prosecutors argued that Buen unnecessarily heightened tensions during an encounter with Glass, who was exhibiting signs of a mental health episode. Glass had refused orders to exit his vehicle near Silver Plume, a small town situated along Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountains, west of Denver.
A $19 million settlement was reached with Glass’s parents and involved agencies, stipulating crisis intervention training for officers responding to individuals in distress.
Judge Emphasizes Abuse of Power in Sentencing
Judge Cheroutes articulated that Buen’s sentence needed to address both the tragic loss of Christian Glass and the broader harm inflicted upon the community by the shooting incident.
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“This was about power, in my estimation,” Judge Cheroutes stated. “It wasn’t an error. It was about asserting authority: ‘You must obey me because I am in control.’” While acknowledging testimonials from Buen’s family and supporters attesting to his generally helpful nature, the judge emphasized his behavior shifted when he was in uniform and armed.
Buen Apologizes to Glass Family
Dressed in an orange jail uniform, Andrew Buen offered an apology to the Glass family. He was seen using handcuffed hands to dab his eyes with a tissue as he spoke from a podium.
The Glass family had previously voiced skepticism about the sincerity of any remorse from Buen. With a trembling voice, Buen acknowledged their right to feel skeptical. He admitted his actions exacerbated the standoff and told the judge he was not “owed” any leniency.
“There are countless actions I should have taken differently that night,” Buen stated before receiving his sentence.
Family Describes Lasting Grief and Impact
Sally Glass conveyed to Judge Cheroutes that Buen behaved like a “bully” towards her son, describing Christian as a kind and gentle artist who was a native of New Zealand, his father’s homeland.
“He encountered evil that night, and there was no compassion shown,” she recounted.
Simon Glass expressed that their family’s anguish was initially compounded by official accounts that portrayed his son as the aggressor in the standoff—accounts for which the sheriff’s office later apologized. He shared his struggles with anxiety and the difficulty of speaking about his son in the past tense. However, he finds solace in the fact that his son’s name has been cleared, partly due to body camera footage of the incident.
Katie Glass stated that she and her mother now habitually drive below the speed limit to minimize the chance of police interaction. She expressed regret over watching the body camera footage that captured her brother’s final moments.
“He died in terror, in pain, and completely alone. That is the most agonizing aspect for me,” she said.
Background on the Case and Conviction
Buen, formerly a deputy in Clear Creek County, was convicted after a second trial.
In a prior trial nearly a year prior, a jury had convicted him of misdemeanor reckless endangerment for putting other officers at risk by discharging his weapon. However, that jury was unable to reach a verdict on a murder charge or official misconduct.
With the Glass family’s support, prosecutors opted to retry Buen on a second-degree murder charge. Jurors were also presented with the option to convict him on the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide, which ultimately led to his conviction.
The defense team contended that Christian Glass possessed a knife and Buen was legally justified in using lethal force to protect another officer.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that after his SUV became stuck, Glass contacted a 911 dispatcher, stating he was being followed. He made additional statements that suggested paranoia, hallucinations, or delusions, indicating he was undergoing a mental health crisis, according to Buen’s indictment.
Upon the arrival of Buen and other officers, Glass refused to leave his vehicle. Body camera recordings showed him making heart shapes with his hands toward the officers.
Officers deployed beanbag rounds and a Taser in an attempt to get Glass to exit the vehicle, but these measures were unsuccessful. Glass then retrieved a knife, which he had earlier offered to surrender. He threw it out of a rear window—which had been broken by a bean bag—in the direction of an officer, according to the indictment. It was at this point that Buen fired five shots.
“Lord, hear me, Lord, hear me,” Glass could be heard saying moments before he was shot and killed.