New: Colorado shooting, deputy’s murder streamed live by gunman

Zackari Parrish. Photo: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colorado, Dec. 31, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — The shooting death of a Colorado sheriff’s deputy was streamed live by the assailant on social media.

One sheriff’s deputy was killed in the incident and four others were wounded. Two civilians were also wounded.

Gephardt Daily obtained more than an hour of video which shows the lead-up to the attack, as well the shooting itself.

The video also shows the gunman, identified as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl, in the aftermath of the initial ambush during which time he shoots a wounded deputy at point blank range.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it was aware of the video and that it had requested it be removed from Periscope, the platform upon which it was streamed.

Warning: The clip above contains graphic audio and may be disturbing to some listeners. This excerpt demonstrates the firepower deputies encountered during the initial attack. It does not show the law enforcement officers being shot. 
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Early in the video, Riehl — who was later killed by law enforcement officers — became angry when deputies came to his apartment door to talk about a restraining order he wished to file against his domestic partner.

Authorities in Douglas County Colorado confirm the shooting of local sheriffs deputies was shown live online by the suspected gunman The video has since been pulled at the request of the Douglas County Sheriffs Office Video still Gephardt DailyPeriscope

Riehl refused to cooperate, demanding to speak with the deputies’ supervisor. He also demanded to see a search warrant, and refused to let officers into his apartment.

The deputies retreated after the suspect shut the door and announced repeatedly he was going to bed.

The deputies ultimately returned, along with backup. According to Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, officers were let into the apartment by someone inside, and had just made contact with the Diehl in his bedroom when he suddenly opened fire.

One of the deputies was then mortally wounded. The three others were also hit, but managed to crawl from the apartment.

While the live stream played out on the Internet, the gunman continued to rant before approaching the gravely wounded deputy and shooting him multiple times at point blank range.

Moments later, he rummaged through the downed deputy’s pockets, saying that he was looking for a search warrant.

“There’s no warrant,” he exclaimed. “It’s illegal search and seizure! This is a classic courtroom defense!”

He then shot the deputy again.

As the video progresses, the gunman’s audio becomes muffled. He’s then seen wearing a gas mask while he appears to wait for more officers to arrive.

The gunman continued to fire multiple weapons throughout the morning.

He was ultimately shot and killed by police, one of whom was wounded in the exchange of gunfire.

Late Sunday afternoon the deputy who lost his life was identified as 29-year-old Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Zackari Parrish. He was described as a veteran law enforcement officer, and leaves behind a wife and two children.

The other injured law enforcement officers have been identified as Deputy Michael Doyle, 28, Deputy Taylor Davis, 30, Deputy Jeffrey Pelle, 32, and Castle Rock Police Officer Tom O’Donnell, 41. All of them are described in stable condition.

11 COMMENTS

  1. So had had the police respected the fourth amendment then everyone now dead would be alive. Cops were victims of their own egos, should have stuck to enforcing the law.

    What a waste.

  2. If a group of men kick in a mans door armed to the teeth, with or without a warrant they are looking at getting into a lethal fight. The fact you can kick in doors and rarely get into a fight doesn’t make you right, only lucky.

  3. Hey you morons, the police were let back in to the apartment by the roommate. They did not need a warrant at that point and it then became an issue of the police trying to pick him up on a 5150 hold, which they have every right to do. But no, you guys are right, the cops should have let this crazy lunatic remain drunk in his room with a bunch of guns and ammo!

  4. What sad about this is it probably could have been avoided, the man was unraveling and instead of people helping him by helping deescalate the situation people egged him on, throughout his youtube videos leading up to this point he clearly had a problem with law enforcement in his area he made that clear but if people had not chimed in amping him up he would probably still be alive as would the deputy and gun control would not be back in the news. Another flash in the pan on to the next footnote in history story. He was fixated, obsessing over the police and the slights he felt (real or imagined) and people fed him anti establishment rhetoric to further their own agenda until he went over the top. Sad all around seems all he wanted to do was make vids play games and have followers (attention)

  5. You can’t call a man who fights fires a fireman because there might be a fire woman out there;
    You can’t call a man who maintains the lines a lineman because there might be a line woman out there;
    but it’s perfectly okay to call a man with a gun, a gunman. Nobody gets upset about that.

  6. What part of “According to Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, this time, officers were let into the apartment by Riehl’s roommate” don’t you understand?

  7. Ambush? More like repelling home invasion by armed trespassers! Ghephardt is biased slanted and cop apologists clearly. That’s corrupt media narrative for you.

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