A Colorado Springs police shooting of a man who allegedly shot at officers repeatedly was ruled justified, the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday, declaring that the officers and detectives involved in the shooting acted to protect other law enforcement and people in the vicinity who were in imminent danger.

Colorado Springs Police Department Detectives Anthony Carey, Grant Nelson, Alejandra Exley and Sergeant Matthew McLain traded gunfire in October 2021 with a robbery suspect, Christopher Ryan Bayless, after Bayless tried to evade and escape from police, according to a report on the incident released by the DA’s office.

At around 4 p.m. Oct. 7, a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent spotted a vehicle believed to be involved in two robberies on Oct 4. at the US Bank in the 3500 block of Hartsel Drive and the US Bank inside the King Soopers in the 6000 block of Stetson Hills Boulevard. Bayless allegedly passed notes to cashiers at each bank that demanded money and left with cash, the report said.

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After investigators identified the suspect’s vehicle and spotted it near Palmer Park on Oct. 7, detectives followed the vehicle and attempted to stop it. Bayless rammed a police car while trying to escape before officers pinned his car and he began shooting, the release said.

Officers returned fire until Bayless stopped shooting. When police approached his vehicle they found Bayless had “significant trauma to his neck and laceration to his wrist,” which were determined to be self-inflicted. Bayless also had gunshot wounds in his leg, arm and abdomen, the report said.

Based on shell casings recovered from the scene, officers fired at least 50 shots, according to the report.

A search warrant on the vehicle recovered notes that matched descriptions in the suspected robberies, the release said.

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The DA’s office ruled the shooting justified because officers acted to protect other law enforcement and people in the area. The report also found that lethal use of force was justified because a lesser level of force, such as a taser, would not have been sufficient, according to the report’s findings.

Bayless’s next court date regarding the multiple charges of attempted first degree murder of a peace officer is scheduled for May 31, public records show.