COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — An arrest affidavit obtained by Denver7 Tuesday is providing more details surrounding the shooting death of a 24-year-old burglary suspect in Commerce City early Monday morning.
William Paul Schuette, 20, was arrested following the shooting in the area of 10700 Belle Creek Blvd.
The shooting occurred as multiple male suspects were burglarizing Haraf Foods Market, a neighborhood convenience store, around 4:50 a.m., according to the Commerce City Police Department.
The suspect, who lives directly above the convenience store, said the store’s alarm woke him and his girlfriend up.
He said after seeing what was taking place, he went to the landing outside his apartment and began shooting, telling police he was, “Scared as f—k. Those people scared the f—k out of me,” the court documents state.
He told police that he yelled for the suspects to stop burglarizing the store several times before he began shooting.
The shooting ended up killing a 24-year-old burglary suspect whose body was found inside a crashed Volkswagen not far from Haraf Foods Market. Police said the Volkswagen had crashed into several parked vehicles, leaving a trail of glass from the front of the convenience store.
After the shooting, Schuette approached officers at the scene and turned himself in. Police seized an AR rifle from his apartment, the documents state.
Two other burglary suspects ran from the area, police said. A juvenile male was apprehended and detained for questioning.
Police said there does not appear to be any additional victims or threats to the community at this time.
