Shooting death saddens Salida

Popular resident, a diabetic, is killed after lunging with gun in hand at two officers

Joe Garner, Rocky Mountain News

Published May 4, 2005 at midnight

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SALIDA - Debbie Cruz arrived for work Tuesday morning at the True Value hardware store, half expecting to greet Ken Clark when he started his usual shift.

"When I came in, I thought I'd see him just like always," Cruz said. "Then I remembered what happened."

She made her way through the day grappling with feelings of sadness and anger over the death of her popular co-worker, a 60-year- old retired corrections officer fatally shot by two Salida police officers.

Clark's wife, Nancy, called 911 for medical help about 4 a.m. Sunday after her husband went into a diabetic shock, but she warned the dispatcher her husband was armed with a handgun.

After 20 minutes of trying to calm Clark, Officer Shane Garcia and Sgt. Marc Morris fired at Clark when he lunged at them with his weapon pulled, authorities said.

There's sadness and sympathy enough to go around Salida, a mountain community of 5,500.

Residents are preparing for Clark's funeral Friday at the First Baptist Church where he was a longtime deacon. Meanwhile, the shooting is being debated. "I had the feeling a lot of people would think the police overreacted, but that's not the case," said Ray Maez, who owns a downtown barbershop.

"They feel it was a justified shooting, and they couldn't have left him outside his house waving a gun around.

"He might have harmed someone else."

Nancy Clark and her family issued a conciliatory statement, saying "the tragic chain of events" was "the result of altered mental status from a hypoglycemic reaction (diabetic low sugar)."

"After 35 years of being an insulin-dependent diabetic, our dad is now completely healed and at peace with God in heaven," the statement said. "We will see him again one day."

David Morgenthaler, co-owner of the hardware store where Clark was a part-time worker, said his understanding is that the officers "did what they had to do, but they feel remorse about that."

"I hope the whole community doesn't blame anyone, especially since his wife is so at peace with it.

"She's a fine Christian woman who understands God has taken her husband home."

The officers are on leaves of absence with pay while mental health counselors evaluate them, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation takes statements.

Chaffee County Coroner Randy Amettis said preliminary autopsy results might be released today.

Chaffee County Sheriff Tim Walker, who counted Clark a friend and a Tuesday night bowling buddy, defended the officers, saying they "used more than proper restraint."

Police Chief Mark Mathies referred detailed questions about the officers' ages, training and experience to Mayor Danny Knight, who declined to answer them.

Instead, Knight said the officers, while "young to our service and young to our community," are "very educated and very well- trained."

The sheriff, who said he could not remember another police shooting in the central Colorado town in more than 20 years, said the predawn confrontation will stay with the officers as long as they wear a badge.

"I've seen officers quit within a week after something like this, and I've seen officers have a long, healthy career," Walker said. "But, as long as these officers live in this community, there will be people asking questions and making comments about what they did."

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