One of the last shootings occurred in remote Huerfano County, Colorado, leading to the death of 69-year-old ex-California prison guard, Burch. Burch was arrested on March 25, 2023 after exhibiting some bizarre behavior. This interaction with police set off a series of tragic mistakes that eventually resulted in his premature death. The case had already raised troubling questions about the inhumane treatment of those detained and the duty of care owed by law enforcement officers.
Burch’s arrest came after a strange series of events. He went to the house of two strangers and began bludgeoning it with a rubber mallet. In place of going through customary reserving methods, after his arrest he was transported to the Huerfano County Jail. At one point while in custody, Burch had a scuffle with officers after he reportedly refused to drop a pencil. In reaction, one deputy body-slammed him onto a metal bench. This confrontation led to Burch having a few broken ribs, though he did not receive any immediate medical attention.
For a week, Burch sat in his solitary cell starving — literally — for medical attention. Despite this, his health continued to decline until he was discovered dead on the concrete floor of his cell on April 1, 2023. The autopsy revealed that six ribs on his right side were fractured and that his right lung was punctured. Those findings initially caused investigators to determine his death was a homicide.
Prosecutors even looked at the investigative findings but did not move to file any criminal charge against the sheriff’s deputy. This deputy was the one who had Taserd Burch during the violent incident. This controversial decision, still being hotly contested, has resulted in a lawsuit being filed. The complaint holds all the defendants jointly and severally liable for Burch’s fatal injuries and constitutional violations.