Colorado police officer killed by parolee with 20-year criminal record in Lakewood
Gabriel Garcia, on mandatory parole, shot four Lakewood officers and killed agent Nick Graham. CBS News reports Garcia had a criminal history spanning two decades.
Parolee with decades of convictions kills Lakewood police agent Nick Graham
Gabriel Garcia, the man accused of fatally shooting Lakewood Police Agent Nick Graham on Thursday, had a criminal history stretching back 20 years, cbsnews.com reports. Garcia was on mandatory parole at the time of the incident, in which four officers were shot and a bystander was injured before Garcia was killed by police.
Tributes accumulated outside the Lakewood Police Department throughout Friday as the community mourned Graham's death.
Garcia's record included charges of assault, car theft, and felony menacing, among others. In 2017, he attacked an Adams County deputy during an incident that the officer survived only because of his K-9. Garcia pleaded guilty to assault on a peace officer causing serious bodily injury and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2019.
By April 2023, Garcia was out and was subsequently charged with violating his parole in that case. Most recently, he pleaded guilty to felony trespass of an inhabited dwelling, related to a 2025 incident in Adams County. Despite receiving a one-year prison sentence in April of this year, Garcia was released on mandatory parole in September.
The Colorado Department of Corrections confirmed to CBS Colorado that Garcia was released on September 23, 2026, and was under active parole supervision at the time of the shooting. The DOC explained the early release as the result of credit for time served combined with earned time credits accumulated while incarcerated, noting that the law requires the department to apply such credits.
In a written statement, a DOC spokesperson said: "The Colorado Department of Corrections extends our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the Lakewood Police Agent who tragically lost their life in the line of duty. Our thoughts are also with the injured officers, their families, and everyone impacted by this devastating incident."
The statement confirmed Garcia had received 149 days of presentence confinement credit toward his one-year sentence. "Under Colorado law, earned time credits are awarded based on statutory requirements and department policy. Garcia's mandatory release date reflected the earned time credits applied to his sentence," the spokesperson added.
The DOC said it is conducting an internal review of Garcia's supervision and is cooperating with law enforcement partners as the investigation continues. "We recognise the seriousness of this tragedy and the importance of transparency and accountability," the statement read.
The Lakewood Police Department has directed community members wishing to support Graham's family and the three other wounded officers to the Lakewood Police Employee Assistance Foundation. Donations made through the foundation go directly to Graham's family and the injured agents, according to the department.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)