In a shocking incident in June 2023, a SWAT team in Denver mistakenly raided the wrong apartment, causing distress and trauma to a family. The incident unfolded when officers banged on the door of Kirsty Shelton's apartment, looking for a man who lived across the hall. Despite Shelton's mother informing them of the error, the officers proceeded to order Shelton and her daughter outside at gunpoint.
Upon entering the apartment, officers encountered Shelton's two young daughters in their bedroom. Body camera footage revealed that the girls were told they could play in the room while the officers searched for their grandmother, leading to the children's distress and screams.
The family, including another adult, was then placed in a locked police car for about an hour while the officers continued their search for the suspect. The lawsuit filed against the Denver officers alleges that the police were aware of the correct apartment number of the suspect but still proceeded to enter the wrong apartment, denying their mistake and covering up the incident.
Following the raid, the family required extensive counseling due to the trauma inflicted by the officers' actions. Despite promises of an investigation, the police failed to produce a report on the incident, further exacerbating the family's distress.
The lawsuit, filed under Colorado's 2020 police reform law, accuses at least 10 officers of violating the family's constitutional rights and subjecting them to excessive force. While instances of SWAT teams entering the wrong location have decreased nationally, tactical experts emphasize the need for thorough planning and verification to prevent such errors.
Experts in tactical operations highlight the challenges of conducting operations in apartment buildings, where unit numbers may be unclear, and the risk of threats passing into neighboring units. Proper surveillance, floor plan analysis, and on-site verification are recommended to ensure the accuracy of operations and prevent unnecessary trauma to innocent residents.
