Report: Ex-Boulder Cop Killed Deer On Duty Before Shooting Elk

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4)- The final Boulder Police Department's internal investigation report on two ex-Boulder cops accused of illegally killing an elk in the city reveals new details.

Sam Carter and Brent Curnow have been charged with tampering with evidence, forgery, unlawful taking of an elk, killing of an elk out of season and conspiracy.

Carter, 35, was on duty and on patrol on Jan. 1 near the intersection of 9th and Mapleton when allegedly he shot and killed the animal with a single shot and then called Curnow, 38.

After Carter posed for a photo with the elk, Curnow "took the elk in his own vehicle to process the meat for personal use," Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner wrote in a letter to residents. Beckner said the shooting wasn't reported by either officer until residents began to ask questions.

The 37-page internal investigations report reveals that Curnow had shot and killed two deer on separate occasions while on duty and then brought the carcasses home to keep the meat for himself.

In the report the deer are described as "legitimately" injured.

"It just doesn't feel right. If they're going to put it to some public use. Having two guys, cops, bring it home, it just doesn't seem right," said one Boulder resident.

"Taking wild meat for that reason, for any reason I think is despicable in this circumstance," said another Boulder resident.

The report also recounts the days before the shooting and the conversations and text messages between Curnow and Carter.

Those messages describe in detail the killing of the elk allegedly for a trophy.

"Should I go hunting?" ... "Did you shoot him?" ... "Too many people right now." ... "You gonna be able to help butcher it? Or are you gonna go home sick?" ... "You should have killed it" ... "Oh he's dead tonight. His right side is broke off at the main beam. And he looks a little smaller." ... and "If we could find the broken part of the antler I could fix it for a mount"

The internal investigation states no other officers or deputies involved in the investigation will face charges.

"I guess they do need to make an example out of these guys. I mean, you can't have people shooting wild animals in a residential neighborhood," said one Boulder resident.

Both Curnow and Carter are scheduled to be in court April 4.

Neighbors say the elk had been living in their neighborhood for weeks and was not a threat.