Larimer County Sheriff releases footage of 2022 shooting between deputies and Fort Collins man
By: The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office released body-worn camera footage of an incident last summer during which a Fort Collins man traded gunfire with deputies — for which he received a multi-decade prison sentence in late August — as well as a statement from Sheriff John Feyen in a video posted earlier this week and shared by the department Friday.
Bryan Erdbruegger, 23, was arrested in July after firing shots at two LCSO deputies following a traffic stop in Fort Collins. During the incident, Erdbruegger was accused of not only firing shots at the deputies from a distance but also approaching one of them and engaging in a brief struggle, during which Erdbruegger was ultimately shot.
In July, he pleaded guilty to attempted murder, for which 8th Judicial District Court Judge Juan Villaseñor sentenced him to 34 years in prison during an August hearing.
The LCSO video, begins with Feyen breaking down the incident and saying that Erdbruegger had tried to cause a “suicide by cop.”
Feyen’s statements are followed by roughly five minutes of body-worn camera footage that shows the deputies trading fire with Erdbruegger until eventually shooting him and rendering medical aid while medical personnel came to the scene.
Following the footage, Feyen said the video shows it is “clear” that Erdbruegger sought to end his own life that night and he “put deputies in the crosshairs of his twisted scheme.”
“While there is no disputing the fact that Mr. Erdbruegger was struggling with mental health issues, this does not diminish the severity of his actions,” Feyen said, adding that while he did not injure anyone in the incident it did cause “lasting harm on the men he chose to endanger, as well as their families and their loved ones.”
Feyen said the department comes in contact with people suffering from mental health crises every day, and that LCSO’s goal is to connect them with needed services in the community. He also referenced Cpl. Jeffrey Kaley, who said during the August sentencing that Erdbruegger’s action that night took that option away.
He concluded the video by urging those who know someone struggling with mental health issues to reach out to try and get them the help they need.