LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — A woman has filed a petition and affidavit for an extreme risk protection order (ERPO) against the Colorado State University police officer who fatally shot her son in 2017.
The paperwork was filed Jan. 9. A judge will hear the case Thursday.
To file an ERPO, someone must meet certain conditions, such as living with or be related to the gun owner.
In the ERPO, under penalty of perjury, Susan Holmes claims she has a child in common with CSU police Officer Phillip Morris.
Holmes told the FOX31 Problems she planned to argue in court that she had a different interpretation of what “have a child in common” actually means.
Susan Holmes’ son, Jeremy Holmes, 19, was killed during an encounter with Morris and another police officer on July 1, 2017. Holmes possessed a large hunting knife at the time and body camera footage shows he started running toward the officers with the weapon before they opened fire.
District Attorney Clifford Riedel found the shooting to be “clearly justified.”
In the ERPO, Holmes says Morris “used his firearm to recklessly and violently threaten and kill 19-year-old Jeremy Holmes.”
The FOX31 Problem Solvers learned there are a total of five ERPOs filed in Colorado courts so far.
Two were filed in Denver County, two were filed in Larimer County and one was filed and denied in Lincoln County.
On Wednesday afternoon, CSU provided the following comment:
“CSUPD Cpl. Morris is not on leave and continues to serve in his capacity as a peace officer at CSU, and continues to lawfully carry his weapons. He does not share a child with Susan Holmes.
CSU does not share whether an employee has been subject to disciplinary action, as that is confidential personnel information. That being said, as you know, District Attorney Cliff Riedel’s office investigated the incident related to Mr. Holmes and determined that Corporal Morris was justified in his actions and, in fact, took numerous steps to try and deescalate the situation. A link to the letter is here.
CSU believes the letter speaks for itself. Cpl. Morris’s service to our community as an officer since January of 2012 has been consistently honorable and professional.”