Defendants intentionally set a trap in order to throw homemade chlorine-laced "bombs" at responding officers, officials said.
All four suspects have now been sentenced in an April 2019 incident that injured an Arvada Police officer. Three men were sentenced August 26 for hurling a chlorine bomb at the officer as he cleared a roadway obstruction. Gavin Beret Dawson, Maxwell Cade McCann, and Braiden John Ulmer, all 20, were sentenced to two years probation with 60 days in the jail's Alternative Sentencing Program, which includes jail work release and in-home detention.
All three men pleaded guilty May 18 to a charge of Attempted Second Degree Assault of a Peace officer with a Toxic Caustic Device, a class 5 felony. A fourth suspect, Isaac Carl Koch, 20, pleaded guilty December 9, 2019, to a charge of Conspiracy to Posses an Explosive/Incendiary Device, a class 5 felony, and was given a two-year deferred judgment and sentence.
Four men were sentenced for throwing home made chlorine bomb at @ArvadaPolice officer after they created a road hazard to lure them to the area. https://t.co/9ABmj16A1M pic.twitter.com/vfqBCzPfjc
— DA Peter A. Weir (@DA1Colorado) August 27, 2020
The defendants intentionally built a hazard in the road at 72nd and Beach Street on the evening of April 7, 2019, according to the Jefferson County District Attorney's office. Their goal was to lure citizens or police to the blocked roadway in order to create a stationary target at which they could throw homemade chlorine bombs, the DA's office said.
Police received a call around 10 p.m. about the hazard and an officer was dispatched to investigate. Upon arrival, the officer discovered that street signs had been pulled from the ground and stacked in the middle of the road along with an obstruction made of plastic wrap. Together with a citizen, the officer began clearing the obstruction when the defendants threw at least seven incendiary devices toward the area, including a plastic bottle that landed near the officer, the DA's office said.
Upon hitting the ground, the bottle released heavy chlorine gas, which caused the officer to become sick and lose consciousness. He was transported to a hospital where he was treated for chlorine gas exposure. He sustained pulmonary damage that required months of recovery and missed work and caused lasting health effects. The citizen was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
“These men set up an ambush for police. When the first Arvada officer arrived to clear away the road hazard, he was a fixed target for their toxic chemical bombs,” said District Attorney Pete Weir. “These young men purchased the chemicals and plastic bottles at Walmart, mixed the bombs and then set up their targets for ambush. The impact on the law enforcement community has been enormous.”
In reference to the incident on April 6 that left a Citizen and Officer injured, within 24 hours after the incident five suspects were taken into custody. Four adults and one juvenile were all placed in local detention facilities. pic.twitter.com/QrgOn5WyUo
— Arvada Police (@ArvadaPolice) April 8, 2019
According to the original arrest affidavit, officers responding to the scene the night of the incident made contact with four teenagers in a car nearby but allowed them to leave after they provided identification. The next day, investigators found a receipt in a nearby field that led them to surveillance video showing the same teenagers buying bottled water, a chlorine treatment for swimming pools, brake fluid, and plastic wrap.
The teenagers, who were 18 at the time, were arrested the day after the incident and charged with first-degree assault; criminal attempt of second-degree assault; two counts of possession, use or removal of explosives or incendiary devices; and conspiracy to commit possession, use or removal of explosives, or incendiary devices.