Richard Ward, 32, was fatally shot on 22 February 2022 by Pueblo County sheriff deputy Charles McWhorter while picking up his brother from Liberty Point International Middle School in Pueblo West, Colorado. Richard Ward was observed attempting to enter a car that was not his but looked to be his mother's in the middle school's parking lot. He apologized to the driver and got into his mother's white SUV. Shortly after, deputies arrived at the scene and approached Ward, seated in his mother's car. Ward told the deputies that he had mistaken the car for his mother's white SUV. The tone of the conversation shifted dramatically after Ward put a prescription anti-anxiety pill into his mouth, which was followed by McWhorter, one of two deputies at the scene, dragging Ward out of car and throwing him to the ground, shortly before shooting him three times in the chest. After reviewing the results, District Attorney Jeff Chostner determined that the deputies' actions were rational and "justified" because they "believed their lives or the lives of others were in jeopardy." On 17 February 2023, McWhorter earned his second Purple Heart from the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office for allegedly sustaining injuries during the incident. On 21 February 2023, Ward's family filed a federal lawsuit against McWhorter and his agency. Killing The incident started in a middle school parking lot when Richard Ward was seen trying to get into a vehicle that was not his but looked like his mother's. Then he entered his mother's white SUV after apologizing to the driver. The deputies arrived at the scene shortly after that, approaching Ward sitting in his mother's car, who explained to deputies that he had confused the vehicle for his mother's white SUV. Body camera footage The bodycam footage of the incident was released by the family's attorney. Ward can be seen in the footage sitting in the rear seat of his mother's white SUV, explaining to officers that he had mistakenly tried to enter another vehicle. The body camera footage shows Ward saying he was not comfortable around law enforcement officers since he stated excessive force was used against him. Ward is seen explaining to the officer what happened when he entered the wrong car and emptied his pockets when Charles McWhorter, the Pueblo County sheriff deputy, demanded his identification. Ward also said he might have a pocketknife, but it was revealed that