2 Aurora Officers Hurt In Exchange Of Gunfire With Suspects In Green Valley Ranch

DENVER (CBS4) -- Two Aurora police officers were hurt and rushed to the hospital after a shooting in Green Valley Ranch. The shooting happened Monday evening in the 4700 block of Argonne Street.

That's near Green Valley Ranch Boulevard and Tower Road.

It began when officers from Rocky Mountain Safe Streets were following multiple adult suspects about 5:30 p.m. Monday. They stopped at 47th Avenue and Andes Street when one suspect ran and attempted to carjack a vehicle from two people.

That's when officers from Aurora police engaged, gunfire was exchanged and two officers were shot.

"...used a weapon to force-ably take a vehicle from two people and we intervened, and that's when shots were fired," said Denver Police Divisions Chief Ron Thomas.

Both officers suffered non-life threatening injuries and are recovering at the hospital.

"Luckily, our officers are doing OK. We expect them to make full recoveries," said Aurora Police Department public information officer Matthew Longshore.

Two people were taken from the vehicle and to the Denver Police Department headquarters for questioning.

Bullet holes could be seen in the windshield of one of the vehicles seemingly involved in a crash in the complex parking lot. It is unclear whether those bullet holes originated from inside the vehicle or outside. A gun could also be seen on the pavement near the bumper of one of the vehicles.

"I can tell you shooting into a vehicle is against our policy in most cases. There are certainly some exceptions, (for instance) when someone's in grave danger," said Thomas.

A closer look at the silver vehicle shows the driver's side riddled with bullet holes.

The suspects are wanted for a number of armed robberies in the Denver metro area, generally at convenience stores.

"There's been an operation in place for a while to contact them, and apprehend these suspects," said Thomas.

Copter4 flew over the scene where red crime scene tape had been used to mark off a section of the parking lot in the complex of the Redstone Ranch Apartments.

What appeared to be FBI agents could been seen with police officers walking through the parking lot.

Aurora's interim police chief met with the injured officers on Monday night.

In:
• Aurora Police
• Denver Police