Rigoberto Valles-Dominguez sentenced for shooting Littleton police officer

The man convicted of shooting a Littleton police officer in 2021 was sentenced to 128 years in prison on Monday, the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced.

Rigoberto Valles-Dominguez, 35, was found guilty of first-degree attempted murder, assault, aggravated robbery and weapons-related charges by an Arapahoe County jury in July.

Officers encountered Valles-Dominguez while responding to reports of shots fired near West Powers Avenue and South Bannock Street on Sept. 20, 2021.

Valles-Dominguez was walking away from the scene and took off running when contacted by police. During a foot chase, he pulled out a handgun and began shooting, hitting Officer David Snook in the torso, arm and leg.

Snook and Cpl. Jeff Farmer returned fire, but Valles-Dominguez escaped and hid in an apartment complex for several hours before carjacking a motorist. He was arrested four days later while hiding in an attic in Brighton.

In a statement, District Attorney John Kellner said Snook and Farmer showed their commitment to public safety by putting their own lives at risk to chase after an armed suspect.

“It’s a blessing no one was killed,” Kellner said. “I hope this lengthy prison sentence brings a sense of closure and justice to both officers and their families.”

Farmer was awarded a Medal of Valor by President Joe Biden earlier this year for helping save Snook’s life.

Snook was forced to medically retire after the shooting and now works for the department as a support services coordinator, said Littleton Police Department spokesperson Sheera Poelman.

In a statement, Snook said he was pleased with the outcome.

“I am incredibly grateful to have the unwavering support of my family and for my amazing wife,” Snook said. “Being a police officer is not a job, it’s a calling. And I am thankful and proud of the men and women of the Littleton Police Department and those across the country who continue to answer that calling daily with courage and commitment.”

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