"Justified or not?": Alysha Duran bodycam footage video goes viral in wake of Westminster cop wrong-way driver incident

A 46-year-old woman named Alysha Duran was killed by a cop on July 25, at around 4.40 pm on 88th Avenue in Lamar Drive, Westminster, Colorado. On Friday, August 18, the Westminster Police Department (WPD) finally released the body cam footage of the officer involved in the shooting as part of the evidence. The news was reported by several media outlets, including 9 News and Meaww.

As per the video, Alysha Duran is seen sitting inside a parked SUV with the car facing the wrong direction. When a patrol officer named N. Adams noticed that, he approached the vehicle and asked her to roll down her window.

“What’s going on? You’re in the wrong land. Are you okay?” the officer is heard in the clipping.

The woman rolled her window reluctantly but did not answer any questions. The patrol officer repeatedly asked her if she was doing okay and what was going on. Later, he even asked Alysha Duran whether he should call an ambulance. Not only that, but he enquired whether she had been drinking. However, he was himself heard saying that it didn’t seem so.

All this while, Alysha Duran was seen sitting quietly without reacting and putting on a necklace. Meanwhile, the officer is heard reporting the incident via his walkie-talkie and most likely asking for help from the local police station.

“What you got in there? What you got in there, ma’am?” he is heard asking her.

Realizing it was a gun, the officer tried to grab her firearm before drawing his own and aiming at her. In the following moments, several shots are open-fired, which are clearly heard in the footage. The officer can be seen moving to the back of the car without checking whether Duran is alive. Several moments later, while approaching the vehicle, he is heard saying:

“225, shots fired, shots fired, shots fire. Don’t move!!”

Trigger warning: This article contains some visuals that might be disturbing. Viewer's discretion is advised.

Upon guessing that she may be dead, the officer is heard screaming, “Are you okay?” many times before reporting that he needs immediate assistance as the woman was down and that she had a handgun.

Towards the end of the video, the officer is seen walking towards another passing car (at a halt) caught in the shooting, asking the occupants whether they were all right. One of his bullets hit that vehicle’s windshield, which is why the cop is heard apologizing before moving back to the crime scene while panting and breaking down in tears. Incidentally, no one else was injured.

As soon as the clipping became viral on social media, netizens have been debating whether or not the shooting was justified. Here is one such reaction from an X (formerly Twitter) user:

A netizen asks whether the Duran shooting was justified or not. (Image via X/f*ckin bk)

Duran was rushed to the hospital within minutes of the firing but was declared dead on arrival.

---

“Makes the shooting justified but very tragic for everyone involved”: Alysha Duran’s shooting sparks debate online

Since the body cam video of the officer shooting Alysha Duran surfaced on the internet, netizens have been taking sides.

One side has been arguing that the shooting was justified, considering Alysha Duran was silent during the incident and tried to draw her gun at a police officer. If the latter hadn’t defended himself, he could have been the victim instead. Here are some of the reactions:

Another side believes that the shooting was wrong and fast, and it was another instance of police brutality on civilians. Here are some reactions from the comment section of @f*ckin bk's tweet:

A netizen thinks Alysha's death was a murder. (Image via X/Timothy Cox)

A netizen shares her suspicions about the Alysha Duran shooting. (Image via X/i throw stones)

A netizen expresses his doubt on whether Alysha Duran indeed had a gun or not. (Image via X/Kyle Fuller Parody)

A netizen slams the Alysha Duran shooting. (Image via X/Bogey's Alternative News)

As per Meaww, the officer involved in the shooting has been on paid administrative leave since the incident occurred. An independent investigation has also been ongoing by the 17th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team besides the Westminster Police Department’s internal investigation.

The whole process is expected to take another few months before evidence is turned over to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office for further review. The body cam footage was shared by WPD on their official website. A WPD spokesperson told Daily Mail in a statement:

“After several attempts to speak with the driver, she produced a handgun, Officer N. Adams attempted to grab the driver's arm and then disengaged, drew his gun, and fired at the driver, hitting her.”

The statement also added that WPD understood how such an incident may affect the citizens, family members, and their employees.

“It is important to remember these situations are complex and often involve tough split-second decisions made by our officers.”

As per Celebs Week, Alysha Duran was a 46-year-old mixed-race woman born and raised in Denver, Colorado. However, she was based out of Broomfield at the time of her death. She is survived by her mother, Veronica Duran, and a brother whose name remains undisclosed. She was an alumna of Centaurus High School in Lafayette, Colorado.