Durango Police Department Officer Padriac Ingle was on the graveyard shift July 1 when dispatchers notified him of a burglar alarm that had been set off at O’Reilly Auto Parts. Minutes later, the scene became the first officer-involved shooting for the Durango Police Department since 2000.
Ingle’s body camera footage starts at 4:39 a.m. while he’s arriving at the scene at 2475 Main Ave. It’s dark outside, but the lights are turned on in the auto parts store as Ingle looks inside for activity and checks the front door, which is locked.
Ingle positions himself near the front door, taking cover behind a pillar. He is the only officer stationed in front of the business.
Durango Police Chief Bob Brammer said the other two officers at the scene went to the back of the store to secure a perimeter and spotted a person inside the store, later identified as Jason Noble Snow, 34, of Pagosa Springs, who was trying to escape. Officers noted Snow had objects in his hand, but they couldn’t confirm whether one was a gun.
After seeing officers, Snow is said to have run to the front of the store.
In a burst of activity, Snow, with a radio in his left hand and a handgun in the other, blasts through the front door. Broken glass flies toward Ingle, a sign Snow fired his weapon, Brammer said.
Body cam shows Durango police officer return fire, killing suspect
Body cam shows Durango police officer return fire, killing suspect
Virtually simultaneously, Ingle unholsters his gun and orders Snow to put down the gun.
Ingle moves left of a pillar, and shoots once, striking Snow. He then moves right off the pillar, and fires the remaining shots. Snow lies face down, motionless, his gun on the ground to the right of him.
“He fired first,” Ingle can be heard saying. “I had no other choice.”
The whole incident lasted seconds and took place about two minutes after Ingle arrived at the scene. Ingle was not injured.
“It feels like an eternity,” Brammer said. “This is a very violent, close encounter.”
Authorities have maintained Snow fired a shot toward Ingle through the main glass entry door of the business, causing Ingle to return fire, squeezing off nine shots, killing Snow.
La Plata County Coroner Jann Smith said Snow was struck eight times.
In September, the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and determined Ingle “was legally justified in using deadly physical force.”
Brammer said the body camera footage will not be shared or released publicly, a move he said is supported by Snow’s family who lives in the area and has refused to watch the video.
Body cam shows Durango police officer return fire, killing suspect
Instead, anyone interested in viewing the footage can contact the Durango Police Department to schedule a time to watch it in a controlled setting, Brammer said. As of this week, no one had requested to view the video.
The Durango Herald requested to see the video to verify that what is depicted aligns with the narrative authorities have provided since this summer.
No life-saving measures were taken, as it was apparent Snow was dead, Brammer said. EMS arrived a few minutes after the shooting.
The O’Reilly store did not have video surveillance around the store, so Ingle’s body cam is the only footage of the shooting.
Ingle is a four-year veteran of the Durango Police Department. He previously worked with the department, left for a brief tenure with the Fort Lewis College Police Department and then returned, according to police.
He is also an instructor for and previous member of the police department’s Community Engagement Team.
Brammer said Ingle was on leave for a few days immediately after the shooting, as is customary, but has since returned to normal duty.
jromeo@durangoherald.com
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