Andrew Buen, the former deputy, faced charges of second-degree murder and official misconduct, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict on those charges. Buen was found guilty of reckless endangerment, which typically carries a maximum jail term of four months.

The incident, which occurred in 2022, involved Christian Glass, who had sought assistance after his car got stuck in a small mountain community in Silver Plume. Glass was exhibiting signs of a mental health crisis, as he was reportedly paranoid, hallucinating, and experiencing distress. Upon the arrival of Buen and other officers, Glass refused to exit his vehicle.

Prosecutors argued that Buen needlessly escalated the situation, while the defense claimed that the shooting was legally justified as Buen was protecting a fellow officer. Body camera footage revealed Glass praying and making heart shapes with his hands, but despite attempts to subdue him with bean bag rounds and a Taser, Glass did not comply. He eventually threw a knife out of a broken rear window towards another officer. It was at this point that Buen fired five shots at Glass, resulting in his death.

Besides Buen, a second officer involved in the incident previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. Additionally, six other officers have been charged with failing to intervene.

District Attorney Heidi McCollum has the option to pursue charges of murder and official misconduct against Buen. She stated that a decision will be made in the next few weeks. The Glass family's attorney expressed their desire for the prosecution to continue, emphasizing the jury's finding of Buen's conduct as criminal.

The trial shed light on the treatment of individuals experiencing mental health crises and raised questions about Buen's actions. Prosecutors argued that Buen had no legal justification to forcibly remove Glass from the vehicle, even if there were suspicions of driving under the influence. They questioned the lack of investigation into Glass's potential behavioral or psychological issues, as well as the influence of drugs.

Glass's mother disclosed that her son had depression and had recently been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The Chief Deputy District Attorney stressed that regardless of the trigger for the crisis, Glass was in a state of distress and questioned whether this was an appropriate way to handle individuals in similar situations.

The conviction of reckless endangerment marks a step forward in the pursuit of justice for Christian Glass. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of comprehensive crisis intervention training and further drives the ongoing conversation on police reform.