What is the definition of a deadly weapon in Colorado?

Colorado law defines deadly weapon as a gun, knife, or any other object capable of killing or inflicting substantial bodily harm. Deadly weapons include ordinary articles such as pipes, bricks, or ropes that are used to injure or kill. Many crimes such as assault and robbery carry harsher penalties if the defendant had a deadly weapon.

CRS 18-1-901 states that a “deadly weapon” means:

1. What are examples of deadly weapons in Colorado?

All firearms are considered deadly weapons, whether loaded with bullets or not. These include:

• Handguns, including pistols and revolvers
• Long guns, including short shotguns and short rifles
• Muzzleloaders
• Machine guns

Non-firearm guns such as BB guns and pellet guns also qualify as deadly weapons since they can cause serious injury to vulnerable parts of the body.¹

Most knives are considered deadly weapons, such as:

• Dirks
• Daggers
• Swords
• Kitchen knives (such as steak knives and cleavers)
• Hunting and fishing knives
• Ballistic knives
• Blackjacks
• Switchblades and other automatic knives
• Gravity knives
• Butterfly knives (balisong knives)
• Bowie knives
• Pocket knives
• Ceremonial knives

Other weapons that count as deadly include:

• Crossbows
• Bows and arrows
• Explosives and incendiary devices
• Nunchucks (nunchaku)
• Throwing stars

Finally, many everyday objects can be considered deadly weapons if they are used in a way to cause injury or death. Examples include:

• Pipes
• Bricks
• Broken glass
• Ropes
• Belts
• Icicles
• Rocks / stones
• Any heavy or sharp object²

See our related articles about the open carry of firearms, carrying concealed weapons, the unlawful possession of weapons on school grounds (CRS 18-12-105.5), and the prohibited use of weapons (CRS 18-12-106).

2. Does having a deadly weapon increase criminal penalties?

With rare exception, violent crimes carry a mandatory enhanced sentence in Colorado State Prison if the defendant used, possessed, or threatened to use a deadly weapon.³ How judges calculate the enhanced sentence is a little tricky, so let us take an example:

Law enforcement officers arrest Jeremy after he commits aggravated robbery by holding up a cashier with a gun. Aggravated robbery is an extraordinary risk class 3 felony offense. The presumptive prison sentence for this class of crime is 4 to 16 years. But since Jeremy made use of a deadly weapon on the alleged victim during the robbery, the judge will add the deadly weapon enhancement:

The new minimum sentence becomes the midpoint of the presumptive sentence, which is 10 years – halfway between 4 and 16. And the new maximum sentence becomes double the maximum of the presumptive sentence, which is 32 years – 16 doubled. Therefore, the new sentencing range is 10 to 32 years for robbery with a deadly weapon.

Learn more about violent crime sentencing in Colorado.

3. Can felons possess deadly weapons in Colorado?

No. People with past felony convictions may not possess weapons, even for self-defense. Otherwise they face charges for POWPO, short for possession of weapon by a previous offender (CRS 18-12-108).

A first-time POWPO offense with a deadly weapon is a class 5 felony, carrying:

• 1 to 3 years in prison, and/or
• $1,000 to $100,000 in fines

A second-time POWPO offense is a class 4 felony, carrying:

• 2 to 6 years in prison, and/or
• $2,000 to $500,000 in fines⁴

See our related article about the possession of an illegal or dangerous weapon (CRS 18-12-102).

Our criminal defense lawyers create attorney-client relationships throughout Colorado, including Denver, Colorado Springs, Greeley, Boulder, and more. We can schedule a free case evaluation over the phone or in one of our law offices. We fight all types of misdemeanor and felony criminal charges, including DUI, assault charges (first degree assault, second degree assault, and third degree assault), menacing, domestic violence, motor vehicle offenses, restraining order violations, crimes against police officers, peace officers, and firefighters, and more.

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