DA: Officers’ use of force in January shooting justified

(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — The 4th Judicial District Attorney’s (DA) Office has ruled the use of deadly force by six members of law enforcement during an incident in Security-Widefield in January of 2024, justified.

While the suspect, 51-year-old Christopher Fraijo, was only carrying a BB gun and not a real firearm, the gun’s resemblance to a semi-automatic rifle and Fraijo’s refusal to comply with commands led law enforcement to believe he posed a threat to officers and the public, the DA’s Office said.

The incident began when Deputy Cameron Komrofske with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO) saw Fraijo around 12:38 a.m. on Jan. 27 walking in the area of Crawford Avenue and Security Boulevard and behaving “suspiciously.” Initially, Deputy Komrofske did not make contact with Fraijo, but then the deputy saw Fraijo a second time walking on the east side of Security Boulevard, and Fraijo appeared to try and conceal something from the deputy as he approached.

As the deputy got closer, he reportedly saw the “barrel of a gun peek over his [Fraijo’s] left shoulder.” Deputy Komrofske repeatedly asked Fraijo to put the gun down, at which point Fraijo refused to follow the deputy’s commands and said he was not going back to jail and that he had warrants.

Deputy Komrofske saw Fraijo carrying what the deputy believed to be a semi-automatic rifle, though Fraijo stated it was a BB gun. During this time, additional EPSO deputies and officers with the Fountain Police Department (FPD) arrived to help Deputy Komrofske. After providing law enforcement with a false identity, Fraijo walked toward officers while saying “just shoot me,” according to the DA’s Office.

The deputies and officers responded that they did not want to shoot him, and Fraijo then reportedly lifted the gun and pointed it at officers.

At that point, EPSO Deputies Komrofske, Jonathan Aggen, and Tiffany Lee, as well as Fountain Officers Brandon Anderson and Destin Alvarez fired, hitting Fraijo multiple times. Fountain Corporal Eric Moore was equipped with a less lethal shotgun and fired a beanbag round.

Fraijo was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, after suffering 15 gunshot wounds. The DA’s Office said toxicology reports showed Fraijo had methamphetamine and amphetamine in his system at the time of the shooting.

The gun Fraijo had been carrying was confirmed to be a BB gun; however, the DA’s Office said a deadly force investigation team ruled the use of deadly force by FPD officers and EPSO deputies was justified, given the gun’s resemblance to a semi-automatic rifle.

Above, left: the BB gun carried by Christopher Fraijo. Above, right: An example of a semi-automatic rifle.

The DA’s Office said in addition to the belief that Fraijo was potentially armed with 30 rounds of ammunition, capable of injuring present law enforcement and the public, officers were justified in their use of force because no officer was close enough to use a less lethal method like a taser.

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