On July 21, 2025, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Regional Communications Center received a 911 call during which no one initially spoke. However, yelling could be heard in the background. Distinct and alarming statements such as “I will kill you,” “Let the gun go,” and “I will blow your brains out” were audible through the open line.
Emergency dispatchers traced the call to a residence in the 7800 block of Parsonage Lane, located in an unincorporated residential area of El Paso County.
Multiple deputies responded and, upon arrival, observed a handgun lying in the roadway directly in front of the residence. Deputies immediately established containment around the property.
Two individuals exited the home shortly after deputies secured the area and informed them another person remained inside, identified as 60-year-old Troy Releford, who reportedly had access to additional weapons.
Deputies contacted Releford, who initially failed to comply with commands and remained seated on the front porch.
Using calm communication and strategic de-escalation, deputies persuaded him to walk to the middle of the driveway, where he sat on a cinder block and was ultimately taken into custody without incident through a modified tiered response.
Releford was transported to the El Paso County Jail and is currently being held on the following charges:
- Menacing
- Prohibited Use of Weapons
- Assault in the Third Degree
“Thanks to my deputies’ disciplined response and their use of de-escalation tactics, a potentially dangerous encounter was resolved safely and without incident,” said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. “These are the outcomes we strive for—where professionalism and restraint lead to peaceful resolutions.”