JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — A Jefferson County SWAT sergeant admitted to drinking “the better part” of a 12-pack of beer hours before responding to the shooting at Evergreen High School, documents obtained by Denver7 Thursday evening show.
The internal affairs investigation into SWAT Team Leader Sergeant Anthony Hamilton began about two weeks after the Sept. 10 shooting that left two students injured at the school, when nearly half-a-dozen law enforcement officers came forward to report they suspected Hamilton was intoxicated the day of the shooting.
The documents, obtained by Denver7 through Colorado’s open record laws, show Hamilton initially denied the allegations brought against him before admitting he had been drinking the night before the shooting and about four hours before the events that unfolded at the high school that day.
Officers detail strange behavior, smell of alcohol
Interviews with police officers from the Arvada and Golden police departments, as well as deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, revealed Hamilton was likely trying to cover up the smell of alcohol with coffee the day of the shooting, and several others noted the former sergeant had bloodshot, watery eyes that he tried to hide with sunglasses while inside the school, as SWAT team members went floor by floor clearing rooms. They also described him as “quiet,” “distant” and “acting out of the norm and kind of ‘checked out.’”
Hamilton’s behavior that day raised red flags from one of his commanders, who was surprised to see him responding to the call the day of the shooting, since Hamilton had previously requested to take a few days off to deal with family issues.
Later that day, another commander would report that Hamilton was leading a SWAT element to search areas of the school that were not their responsibility and found it “out of the ordinary” how Hamilton was “randomly clearing rooms.”
Other law enforcement officers would later come forward to report they had gotten a whiff of alcohol coming from Hamilton during the response to the shooting at Evergreen High.
Sergeant drank "the better part of a 12 pack" the day of the shooting
During a meeting with SWAT leadership on Sept. 17, Hamilton admitted that he started drinking the night before and didn’t go to bed until about 2 or 3 a.m. He also admitted he started drinking the day of the shooting “pretty much right away” after waking up, at about 8 a.m.
“He said he drank, ‘the better part of a 12 pack so, maybe 9 or 10,’ the morning of the incident,” the document shows, with Hamilton admitting he stopped drinking at about 11 a.m. that day — about an hour and 20 minutes before calls began to flood 911 dispatch.
The internal affairs document also shows Hamilton admitted to likely being intoxicated when he drove a take-home vehicle to the school while armed with a sidearm, handgun, and department-issued rifle and wearing his SWAT green uniform.
Hamilton said the fact that a school shooting was taking place “drove my decision to respond” that day, even though he was off duty and under the influence of alcohol as hew “knew his team would need help."
“He said that was the wrong decision, stating, ‘That was the reason why, and I regret few things in my life more,’” the internal affairs document states.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said Hamilton resigned “in lieu of termination” after the conclusion of the internal affairs investigation. Their full statement is below:
The Evergreen High School shooting was a tragic event for our community, and we are proud of the professionalism and dedication shown by the deputies and partner agencies who responded that day. Their work helped bring a swift end to the threat and ensured the safety of students, staff, and families.
During the aftermath of the incident, our agency learned that a sergeant on the SWAT Team who responded to the scene while off duty was under the influence of alcohol. This conduct falls far outside the standards and expectations of the Sheriff’s Office. The sergeant was placed on leave, and an internal investigation was conducted. That process has since concluded, and the employee resigned in lieu of termination.
The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to transparency, integrity, and the safety of the communities we serve.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.