Denver settles for $800,000 in police shooting case

Denver will pay $800,000 to settle a lawsuit related to the police shooting of Duane Manzanares Jr. in 2021. The decision was made by the Denver City Council on Monday. Manzanares, who was 30 years old, was in Denver for his son’s medical treatment when he was shot. He was reportedly visiting the city for his 8-year-old son's leukemia diagnosis at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Police were called to the area after reports of someone firing a gun into an empty car. When police found Manzanares, they instructed him to put his hands on his head. According to police, he did not comply and reached toward his waistband, which led officers to believe he had a gun. They fired 11 shots at him, resulting in his death. No one else was hurt in the incident. The Denver District Attorney's Office decided not to charge any officers involved, stating they acted in a high-stress situation. The civil lawsuit was filed in June 2023.