DENVER — Police officers said they only fired their guns at a 17-year-old girl who was driving a stolen car when they felt their lives were threatened. They say Jessie Hernandez tried to run over them. In fact, one officer was hit and received treatment for a leg injury.
This fatal shooting has raised tensions and put Denver police under intense scrutiny.
Another girl who says she was inside the car tells one story. “They ran to the side of the car and they shot her window open and then they started shooting her.”
The officers involved, Gabriel Jordan and Daniel Green say they only opened fire after their lives were threatened.
Records obtained by FOX31 Denver show both officers are decorated but they also have had run-ins with Internal Affairs before.
According to the records, during Jordan’s nine years with Denver Police, Internal Affairs has had four different complaints against him for improper procedure. He has also received two official commendations.
Daniel Greene has been with Denver Police for 16 years. the IA Bureau has had seven different complaints for him for improper procedure including one where he failed to shoot his weapon. Greene has received three official commendations and one award for saving someone’s life.
Retired police chief Dan Montgomery says post-Ferguson … the officers are under intense scrutiny. He reminds the public an officer’s job is extremely dangerous. “On average, throughout the United States, we have one police officer feloniously murdered every five days and every day of the year we have an average of 150 officers assaulted.”