Man freed by Colorado Gov. Polis after shooting deputy calls past crimes "horrific," vows to prove he deserves second chance

Brandin Kreuzer, the Colorado man whose 50-year prison sentence for shooting a Douglas County sheriff's deputy was commuted by Gov. Jared Polis last month, says he is ashamed of the violence he committed as a 19-year-old and determined to prove he deserves his freedom.

"I owe them my life and my best effort," Kreuzer, 37, told CBS Colorado in an exclusive interview. "I want to be known as a good person. I'm eager and hopeful to prove that."

Polis commuted Kreuzer's sentence May 15, citing his rehabilitation and clean disciplinary record while incarcerated. Kreuzer was released on parole June 1 after serving 15 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections and an additional three years in county jail before his conviction.

The decision sparked strong backlash from law enforcement.

Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly called the governor "completely tone deaf" to the dangers faced by officers, saying the move sends a "dangerous and demoralizing message."

Deputy Todd Tucker, who was shot in the arm during the 2008 crime spree, described the clemency as "a complete betrayal" of law enforcement.

Cpl. Mike Adams, who was also fired upon but not hit, called the decision "appalling."

Crime spree included burglary and car theft

Kreuzer was 19 when he and another teenager carried out a month-long series of burglaries, car thefts and armed robberies across Douglas County. The spree culminated in an exchange of gunfire with deputies, during which Tucker was wounded.

Kreuzer, the son of a Denver police officer, said confronting that chapter of his life remains painful.

"It's not comfortable to talk about how bad a person I was," he said. "I was horrified at what I had done -- at who I had become."

He describes himself then as impulsive and reckless, acting without considering consequences.

"I found myself in a place I never intended to end up," he said. "It was full of destruction and chaos."

He said he cannot fully explain how he spiraled into violence at 19, only that he takes responsibility for it.

Brandin Kreuzer went through a transformation behind bars

Kreuzer says his perspective began to change in prison, where he was mentored by older inmates he describes as committed to self-improvement and being mentors.

"That sparked something in me," he said.

He went on to co-found Redemption Road CrossFit, a fitness program designed to teach accountability, discipline and community inside prison walls. Kreuzer and other inmates became certified CrossFit instructors, and the program expanded to other facilities. Polis cited Kreuzer's leadership in the program as one reason for granting clemency.

For Kreuzer, the commutation carries weight beyond his own release.

"It's a statement that doing good things matters," he said. "That you're not a lost cause just because you've made a mistake. But you have to work for it. It has to be genuine."

For much of his sentence, Kreuzer said he believed he would never leave prison.

"It's hard to understand how I could receive such a gift," he said. "The only way to honor it is to make sure I don't let anyone down."

After being granted clemency, he hopes to help others

Now on parole, Kreuzer hopes to work as a CrossFit instructor and in what he calls "human development," helping others improve themselves and avoid the path he took. He also says he would welcome the opportunity to sit down with the deputies involved in his case to express remorse and let them see who he is today.

"What I owe," he said, "is every effort -- every day -- to make sure stories like mine don't happen again."

Shortly after walking out of the prison in Sterling, Kreuzer climbed onto a rock and performed a handstand as family members watched.

He said it wasn't a display of strength or his CrossFit ability.

"It's a message that change is possible," he said. "Redemption isn't something you achieve. It's something you pursue."