Garrett Preston Russell Swasey
Agency patch
Police Officer I

Garrett Preston Russell Swasey

Felonious
End of Watch November 27, 2015
Age 44
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 165 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Garrett Swasey was shot and killed while responding to an active shooter at a medical facility at 3480 Centennial Boulevard shortly after 11:30 am.

A subject armed with a rifle had entered the facility and opened fire on employees and patients before barricading himself inside. Officer Swasey was among the initial responders and was fatally shot at the scene along with two civilians. Five Colorado Springs Police Department officers, one El Paso County Sheriff's Office deputy, and four civilians suffered gunshot wounds during the incident.

A SWAT team took the subject into custody inside the building approximately five hours later. The suspect has been repeatedly deemed incompetent to stand trial and is being held in a mental facility.

Officer Swasey had served with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Police Department for six years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CO-4C94C807
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer I Swasey gave the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Colorado Springs community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer I Swasey.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Colorado Springs, CO
Platform Identity uccspd.elpaso.co.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 27, 2015
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 44
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Rifle

Police Officer I Garrett Preston Russell Swasey is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In CO, 235 of 360 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.3% of this state's fallen. That is 65.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
CO — Statewide
235
of 360 officers
65.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Garrett Preston Russell Swasey's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Garrett Preston Russell Swasey Compares

Age at Death
44
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
6
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Garrett Preston Russell Swasey is highlighted in Nov.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Garrett Preston Russell Swasey was killed by rifle.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Police Department are honored on badge.nw.