Officials: 5 Deputies Shot, 1 Fatally, While Responding To Domestic Incident Near Denver

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (CBSNewYork/CBS Denver/AP) -- A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriff's deputies in Colorado early Sunday, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush.

Two civilians were also injured.

The deceased deputy has been identified as 29-year-old Zackari Parrish.

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Parrish is survived by his wife and two 'very young' children.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Zackari," Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock stated. "When I sat with his wife and held her hand I could see in her eyes that her life was over."

"Zack was a good kid, a smiley kid," Spurlock said. "His wife told me today that he loved this job. Loved it more than any other job he'd had."

A procession of law enforcement officials on motorcycles and in patrol cars escorted the deceased deputy from Littleton Hospital to the Douglas County Coroner's Office.

The other deputies who were shot were identified as Mike Doyle, 28, Taylor Davis, 30, and Jeff Pelle, 32. Castle Rock Police Department Officer Tom O'Donnell, 41, was also shot.

Deputy Pelle is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle.

"Jeff underwent surgery as a result of his injuries, and is recovering," the Boulder County Sheriff's Office tweeted.

"We are currently with our son and his wife," Sheriff Pelle and his wife, Stephanie, were quoted as stating. "He is in good spirits considering the gravity and severity of what occurred earlier this morning. Our hearts ache for all those involved, and we are not only praying for Jeff's recovery, but for the recovery of everyone involved, and for the family of the fallen deputy."

The other three deputies are in stable condition, according to Sheriff Spurlock.

The civilian victims are expected to survive.

The suspect was shot dead, the sheriff's office confirmed.

Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost immediately after entering a suburban Denver apartment and trying to talk with the suspect, who was holed up inside a bedroom.

"I do know that all of them were shot very, very quickly. They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers," Spurlock said. "He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there."

The wounded deputies tried to pull the fallen officer, identified as Zack Parrish, out of the line of further gunfire but were unable to because of their own injuries and only managed to "crawl to safety," Spurlock said.

The incident occurred around 5:15 a.m. at Copper Canyon Apartments, a landscaped apartment complex in Highland Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver. Authorities had left the home about four hours earlier to address a noise complaint but returned in response to reports of a disturbance at the home.

There were two men inside the home when deputies arrived and someone let them inside, Spurlock said. He said the disturbance was initially reported to be domestic but turned out to be noise-related.

"The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him," Spurlock said.

Resident Steven Silknitter, 50, told The Denver Post that he heard 15 to 20 shots.

"It was back and forth — unbelievable," said Silknitter, who lived in the Denver suburb of Aurora during a 2012 movie theater shooting that left 12 dead. "Where do you move to?" he said, shaking his head in exasperation. "It's everywhere."

The suspect was well-known to authorities in the Denver area but had no criminal record, said Spurlock, who declined to name him until his identity was confirmed.

"Honestly, it's a little bit unsettling," said a neighbor named Chad. "It's one of those things -- be vigilant, you know? Learn who your neighbors are, you know? Really get to know people."

The sheriff did not release any details about the weapons and ammunition used except to say the suspect had a rifle.

President Donald Trump offered his condolences to the victims of the shooting.

The NYPD also offered condolences to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the family of the slain deputy.

NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill also put out a personal statement.

Due to the magnitude of the response, officials say an emergency shelter was set up at a nearby rec center.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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