Jalin Seabron Was Executed. Douglas County Must Be Held Accountable.
It has been one month since Douglas County deputies killed 23-year-old Jalin Seabron, and the Sheriff’s Office continues to protect the officer who fired nine rounds into his back at point-blank range with an automatic rifle. The facts are clear: the officer violated both Douglas County policy and Colorado state law, making no effort to de-escalate before immediately resorting to lethal force.
Video evidence exposes blatant policy violations. Douglas County Policy B-100-6(b) and Colorado state law CRS § 18-1-707(4) both require officers to identify themselves and issue a clear verbal warning with sufficient time for compliance before using deadly force. The body-worn camera footage shows the deputy failed to give any such warning. Instead, he ran toward Jalin, shouted “Hey,” escalated to “Drop the gun,” and then opened fire—all within seven seconds of exiting his vehicle.
Colorado law explicitly states that the mere possession of a firearm does not justify deadly force. Open carry is legal in both Colorado and Douglas County, and individuals have the right to carry a firearm for protection. Jalin was not engaging in any criminal activity. The officer did not attempt to assess the situation—he arrived, rifle in hand, and executed Jalin without cause.
Further, CRS § 18-1-707 mandates that law enforcement apply nonviolent means whenever possible before resorting to force. The deputy in this case did the opposite—he arrived on scene prepared to shoot rather than de-escalate, making no attempt at nonviolent intervention.
The passage of SB20-217 was intended to prevent law enforcement from engaging in a pattern of unconstitutional conduct. The law explicitly prohibits governmental authorities from depriving individuals of their rights through excessive or unjustified force. Yet, Jalin Seabron’s constitutional rights were stripped from him the moment this deputy decided to shoot first and justify later.
The Sheriff’s Office has spent the past month fighting to control the narrative instead of acknowledging their deputy’s clear violations of state law and department policy. The 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office has a legal obligation to hold this officer accountable for his unlawful use of deadly force. This was not just a policy failure—it was an execution under the color of law. The community will not stop demanding justice until those responsible are held accountable.
