BOULDER, Colo. — A former Boulder County deputy allegedly fired more than a dozen shots at Broomfield police cars and damaged the sheriff's office building, according to an affidavit obtained by Denver7.
On Monday, the sheriff's office announced that Tyler Boyd Reilly was arrested and facing a number of charges after investigators say he made threats toward the sheriff's office facilities and deputies.
"When you read the facts as described and alleged in the affidavit, this case, these incidents could have ended so much worse, but for the courageous and strong response by law enforcement," said Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, whose office will be prosecuting this case. “Although the allegations are only allegations at this point, I can promise you and your viewers that, together with the Boulder County Sheriff, we're going to pursue justice in this case.”
According to the affidavit, the incident started after Reilly, who previously worked with the sheriff's office and the Boulder County Jail, called the jail's master control around midnight on Sept. 28. He requested to speak to a supervisor, and one of the sergeants, who has known Reilly for years, attempted to speak to him but Reilly hung up. The sergeant then texted him, and Reilly responded with several text messages, including, "You are a b****. Really after 14 years," and "You better be scared. I'll look for you now."
Reilly, 40, also allegedly previously texted a deputy earlier this month saying that he was going to commit suicide by cop.
The sheriff's office said that Reilly resigned on May 25, 2024, in lieu of termination for cause. In the affidavit, officials said that his employment ended when "he failed to complete field training to be a patrol deputy."
According to the arrest papers, Reilly worked with the sheriff's office for more than 10 years in both the jail and on patrol.
Watch in the video below: Boulder County officials provide update following arrest of former deputy
Around 12:40 a.m. and 1 a.m. Monday, the Boulder County dispatch also received calls from Reilly, where he allegedly said there would be an emergency at the Boulder County Sheriff's Office or Boulder County Jail. Deputies were assigned to both locations in case he showed up.
The sheriff’s office worked to locate Reilly and used a Flock camera to learn that his vehicle was driving northbound on State Highway 287 from Dillon Road at around 12:37 a.m., according to the affidavit.
Around 1:06 a.m., a sheriff's sergeant and deputy were inside the headquarters when they heard a banging noise from the front side of the building. The sergeant said he saw Reilly armed with an AR-15-style rifle and wearing a bulletproof vest, which he communicated over the radio and deputies began heading towards headquarters to assist with the call.
According to the affidavit, a deputy was driving his patrol vehicle to the front and Reilly was on his knees with his hands up. Deputies began to take him into custody, but he allegedly resisted.
"During the struggle, Tyler made numerous comments about wanting to kill the deputies, and about wanting the deputies to kill him," the affidavit reads.
He was eventually taken into custody and taken to the Boulder Community Hospital, where he continued to make violent statements and threatened to kill them. He also told deputies that he fired shots in the Broomfield Police Department parking lot earlier that evening and that he was intoxicated.
Officers from the department searched the property and found 18 shell casings and six police vehicles struck by bullets.
According to the affidavit, surveillance video shows Reilly "stumbling around, and he appeared to be yelling," before firing multiple shots at the cars.
Near the end of the arrest papers, investigators said Reilly's wife showed them several text messages from him that were sent just before midnight on the evening of the incident. The texts included "I'm about to die" and "I'm going to Boulder. And I'm killing everyone."
Reilly and his wife are currently separated, according to the court documents.
During Reilly's first court appearance on Tuesday at the Boulder County Jail, he started to say he never meant to kill anyone before he was cut off by the judge and public defender.
Prosecutors argued during that court appearance to keep Reilly in custody because if he was released from jail he would "finish what he started."
The prosecutor continued to say it is a “miracle we are standing here with no casualties, no injuries.”
While prosecutors sought a $5 million cash only bond, the judge granted Reilly a $5 million dollar cash/surety/property bond with a long list of conditions that include no alcohol, no contact with victims, and no weapons.
"It's certainly frightening — disheartening, that someone would, especially a former employee, use that level of violence towards the organization that formerly employed him," Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson told reporters during the news conference on Monday. "It's certainly concerning to me, but I'm not aware of any prior or similar acts involving the Broomfield Police Department or the Boulder County Sheriff's Office."
Anyone with information about this incident that could help the Boulder County Sheriff's Office is asked to email tips at bcsotips@bouldercounty.gov.
As of Monday afternoon, Reilly’s full list of charges include the following, but Dougherty said additional charges are being considered:
Boulder County Sheriff's Office incident charges:
- Attempted First‑Degree Burglary (F4)
- Felony Menacing with a Deadly Weapon (F5)
- Attempted First‑Degree Criminal Trespass (F6)
- Criminal Mischief, Damage Between $2,000 and $5,000 (F6)
- Prohibited Use of Weapons (M1)
- Resisting a Peace Officer (M2)
- Reckless Endangerment (M2)
- Obstructing Governmental Operations (M2)
Broomfield Police Department incident charges:
- Criminal Mischief, Damage Between $100,000 and $1,000,000 (F3)
- Prohibited Use of Weapons (M1)
- Reckless Endangerment (M2)
- Obstructing Governmental Operations (M2)
- Second‑Degree Criminal Trespass (Petty Offense)
Charge stemming from incident at the Boulder County Jail, after he was taken into custody:
- 2nd Degree Assault on a Peace Officer Causing Bodily Injury (F4)
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.
