Denver Police Detective Donald "Donnie" Young II was ambushed and murdered on May 8, 2005, while working an off-duty assignment.City of Denver
A man who was convicted of fatally ambushing an off-duty Denver police officer in 2005 has applied for a program that could make him eligible for early release from prison, sparking outrage from the officer's family and law enforcement community.
Raul Gomez-Garcia was 19 years old when he was convicted of killing Denver Police Detective Donald "Donnie" Young II on May 8, 2005. He was also convicted of seriously wounding Young's partner, Detective Jack Bishop.
Young and Bishop were working an off-duty security job in uniform when Gomez-Garcia shot both officers from behind in an ambush. Young was shot twice in the back and once in the head and mortally wounded, while Bishop was struck in the back and saved by body armor, the City of Denver says.
Gomez-Garcia, who was undocumented, fled to Mexico but was later captured. Then-Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey said he was forced to make a deal with Mexican officials to extradite Gomez-Garcia to the United States. As part of that deal, Morrissey could only charge Gomez-Garcia with second-degree murder, Denver 7 reports.
Gomez-Garcia was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to 80 years in prison — the maximum sentence. He will be eligible for parole in 2053.
During a press conference Tuesday, Young's family said they were notified that Gomez-Garcia had applied for a Colorado Department of Correction program designed for people who were convicted of crimes as juveniles and young adults.
Prisoners who complete the three-year program, which includes classes and hands-on lessons on financial literacy, career development, healthy living and technology, are then submitted to the parole board for consideration.
On Tuesday, Young's family and the Denver Police Protective Association (DPPA) held a press conference to denounce Gomez-Garcia's eligibility for the program.
