15 Apr 2025

US cop sentenced over killing of New Zealand-born man Christian Glass

2:13 pm on 15 April 2025
Christchurch-born Christian Glass was 22 when he was shot dead by police in the US state of Colorado in June 2022. His parents' lawyers have released body camera footage of their son's final moments and his parents are appealing for justice.

Christian Glass. Photo: Supplied / Rathod Mohammedbhai LLC

After three years and two trials, a former US police officer has been sentenced to three years' jail over the fatal 2022 shooting of a New Zealand-born man in Colorado.

Christian Glass, 22, was shot five times by police after he made an emergency call for assistance from his car during an apparent mental health crisis.

Colorado news agency CPR News reports former Sheriff Deputy Andrew Buen has been sentenced to the maximum three years, after earlier being found guilty of criminally negligent homicide.

Before the sentencing there was more than an hour of tear-filled impact statements from Glass' mother, father and sister, along with Buen's family and friends.

Simon Glass told the court his son's death had torn up his life.

Last year another officer, Kyle Gould, also pleaded guilty to charges of criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment relating to the death.

He was fined NZ$1700 and given two years' probation.

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