Larimer deputy who fatally shot suspect identified

Jason Pohl
The Coloradoan
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday identified the officer who shot and killed a man Friday.

The Larimer County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday identified the deputy who fatally shot a man during a reported foot pursuit through a field last week. 

Deputy Derek Signorelli, a six-year LCSO veteran, shot 23-year-old Chet Knuppel Friday evening near the intersection of Colorado Highway 392 and Larimer County Road 9, the sheriff's office confirmed Wednesday.

Knuppel later died at Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland. 

Signorelli has been placed on paid administrative leave, as is departmental policy. 

More:Police ID officers involved in fatal shooting near CSU

The agency on Wednesday also announced it had identified and interviewed two witnesses from a white Jeep Cherokee who investigators had previously asked for help contacting. 

Deputies responded about 7:30 p.m. Friday to a report of a car crash in a muddy field south of Fossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area, west of Interstate 25. The agency initially incorrectly stated that the incident began with a vehicle pursuit, but corrected the information in a Sunday news release.

For reasons still not clear, authorities say a foot pursuit ensued and ended after Signorelli shot the suspect. It remains unclear Wednesday afternoon whether Knuppel had a weapon and what exactly preceded the shooting. 

Unlike Fort Collins Police Services, the Larimer County Sheriff's office does not have a body-camera program, so it's unclear what — if any — video evidence exists of the incident. 

The coroner's office determined the man's cause of death was caused by gunshot wound to the chest. 

Additional details about the investigation have not yet been released. 

Friday's shooting came about 24 hours before officers from Fort Collins police and Colorado State University police shot and killed a 19-year-old man who was reportedly armed and acting in a threatening manner near campus. Those agencies identified their officers on Monday, less than two days after the shooting. 

Fort Collins Police Services identified Erin Mast as its officer who shot at the suspect. CSU identified its officer as Cpl. Philip Morris as the other officer who fired.

The shootings are being investigated by the Eighth Judicial District Multi-Agency Critical Incident Response Team, a group comprising representatives from law enforcement agencies from the region, including the District Attorney's office, various police departments and sheriff's departments. This team investigates all officer-involved shootings in the district and is designed to reduce potential conflicts of interest during the process.

Reporter Jason Pohl covers public safety for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter: @pohl_jason.