Suspect Killed In Shootout That Left Denver Officer In Serious Condition
DENVER (CBS4) - A Denver police officer is in serious but stable condition after an officer-involved shooting that left a suspect dead Wednesday afternoon.
The shooting happened near 25th Avenue and Lowell Boulevard.
According to police, the series of events began at approximately 1 p.m. when officers gathered around Sloan's Lake in an attempt to apprehend a fugitive from a jurisdiction outside Denver. When officers spotted the man they followed him.
Attempts were made to serve an arrest warrant but the suspect got in a car and drove between two houses and hit a gas meter which set off a fire. Gunfire began just before 3:30 p.m. It's not clear who fired first.
During the shootout an officer, whose name hasn't been released, was shot in the leg and lost a lot of blood. He was originally listed in critical condition but was later upgraded to serious condition. He was taken to Denver Health Medical Center where he was undergoing surgery.
The suspect was also shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Denver police tweeted out updates about the investigation.
#25thNLowellOIS UPDATE: Scene is secure and there is no threat to the neighborhood. 1 officer transported to hospital in critical condition.
— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) December 2, 2015
25thNLowellOIS UPDATE: Suspect has been pronounced at the scene. #Denver
— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) December 2, 2015
#25thNLowellOIS UPDATE: Injured officer in surgery, stable condition and is expected to survive. #Denver
— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) December 2, 2015
#25thNLowell RECAP (1/2): #DPD was assisting another agency in serving a warrant to an armed/dangerous suspect. Confrontation ensued...
— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) December 2, 2015
"Next thing you know in a matter of minutes it was like 'boom, boom, boom.' They started yelling, 'Shots Fired!' And then the fire department put the fire out and off went like three, four cop cars and an ambulance," a witness said.
CBS4 was told that the fugitive was wearing a sheriff's department shirt when he emerged. His name hasn't been released.
Several schools were placed on lockout after the shooting including Lake IB Denver, Edison, Escuela Valdez and Brown International.
All were lifted just after 4 p.m. except for Brown International, which was lifted later in the afternoon.