Trigger Warning: The article mentions details about a tragic shooting.
Colorado saw another unusual shooting case, which occurred last year and has now drawn attention to what lawyers describe as a racial double standard in the treatment of Black gun owners.
Jalin Seabron, a 23-year-old Black man was shot and killed by a Colorado sheriff’s deputy, Nicholas Moore. The victim’s family has now filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Nicholas Moore and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Moore fatally shot 23-year-old Black man Jalin Seabron on February 8, 2025, as his back was turned towards him, and the gun was pointed downward.
He approached and fired gunshots at Main Event, an entertainment venue in Highlands Ranch. Seabron was a security guard who was trying to protect his pregnant girlfriend.
According to The Atlanta Black Star, although Jalin Seabron was carrying an open gun, he was not the active shooter. He was at the venue to celebrate his birthday that night when the chaos erupted.
“‘Racist Double Standard’: Family of Black Man Shot in Back and Killed for Legally Holding Gun in Open Carry State Sues, Citing Double Standard Between White and Black Gun Owners” – Atlanta Black Star #SmartNews https://t.co/rJ9lJooFp3
— George Leroy Tirebiter (@MarkKepes) February 4, 2026
Colorado allows an adult to carry a firearm in a vehicle if its use is for the lawful protection of the person or property. Open carry is allowed for adults (18+) without a permit, while concealed carry requires a permit (21+).
The real shooter that night was later identified as Seabron’s half-sister, Nevaeha Crowley-Sanders, who allegedly fired multiple bullets inside a women’s bathroom after an argument. She was arrested and now faces five counts of attempted murder and felony charges.
Moore claimed he feared for his life, stating that he believed Seabron could shoot him or others. The district attorney’s office cleared him of wrongdoing.
“This use of deadly force was a complete collapse of judgment and training,” Tyrone Glover, the attorney representing Seabron’s family, said in a public statement.
“Mr. Seabron’s back was to the deputy, his weapon pointed at the ground, when the deputy rushed up from behind and fired. Jalin leaves behind his family, his girlfriend, and a son who was born after his death and will never know his father,” he added.
Consequently, body camera footage shows Nicholas Moore arriving first at the scene with a rifle resting on his lap. As he exited his patrol car, he spotted Seabron holding a gun pointed downward while stepping toward the passenger side of a vehicle.
“Hey! Drop the gun! Drop the gun now! Drop it!” Nicholas Moore yelled before firing nine shots, striking Seabron seven times and killing him on the spot.
Furthermore, the Denver Justice Project, a nonprofit focused on police reform, highlights the racial bias in the system towards Black gun owners. Moore had been involved in two fatal on-duty shootings in 2022, though details of those cases were not provided.
Family of Colorado man killed by deputy outside Highlands Ranch entertainment venue files wrongful death lawsuit https://t.co/LXByQYjR2V
— CBSColorado (@CBSNewsColorado) February 3, 2026
The organization argues that Seabron’s death was unnecessary and could have been prevented if Nicholas Moore had not acted in a hurry. “Open carry is legal in Colorado. Jalin’s lawful possession of a firearm did not make him a threat,” the Denver Justice Project report said.
The group claimed that Moore did not distinguish between “actual threats and innocent bystander.” He was simply targeted for being a Black man who possessed a weapon.
“Jalin Seabron was executed not for breaking the law, but for being a Black man with a gun in a county that prides itself on protecting those very rights—when they are a privilege for some and a death sentence for others,” the Denver Justice Project said.
Several people like Jalin have lost their lives due to racial bias, police brutality and mistreatment. For many, the road to justice as a person of color almost seems inevitable.
In 2024 alone, cops killed at least 1,365 people in the U.S., with Black individuals nearly three times more likely than white individuals to be killed.
