Man Dies In Shootout With BLM Rangers
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (CBS4) - A man is dead in Mesa County after a shootout with uniformed officers from the Bureau of Land Management.
Authorities say two rangers went to check on a white van parked in the Bookcliffs area not far from Grand Junction on Sunday afternoon. That's when the man started firing and hit one of the officers in his bulletproof vest but didn't injure him.
"We also know based on our preliminary information that a BLM officer was able to return fire and the suspect was killed in the incident," said Mesa County Sheriff's spokeswoman Megan Terklecky.
So far it's unclear why the man shot at the officers.
Additional Resources
The Mesa County Sheriff's Office released the following information about the investigation led by the Critical Incident Response Team, which includes Grand Junction Police Department, Mesa County Sheriff's Office, Fruita Police Department, Palisade Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, 21st Judicial District Attorney's Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation:
The CIRT is seeking information about the white van and suspect involved in this incident. Anyone who saw or had contact with a white van in the area of the desert and 27 ¼ road in the last few days is asked to call the MCSO Witness Tip Line at (970) 244-3526.
