FORT LUPTON, Colo. — An officer and a suspect are in critical condition after a shooting on Monday night, the Fort Lupton Police Department said. The shooting happened outside a home east of Highway 85 in the 200 block of Ponderosa Place about 10:40 p.m. Officers were responding to a call about a man with a gun who was trying to make contact with a person inside a home. As police arrived, investigators say the man opened fire, shooting and seriously wounding an officer. Police returned fire, injuring the suspect. Family members and neighbors at the scene of the shooting identified the suspect as 19-year-old Matthew Cotter. Police would not confirm Cotter is the suspect.

“It’s scary, it’s really scary,” neighbor Mary Sisneros said. “It scared me because it was dark.” Sisneros managed a motel in town and knew many of the officers by name as they would stop in for coffee. “It kills me because they’re real good people here,” she said. “I know who they all are, but they really care about Fort Lupton.” “I have brothers who are cops, cousins who are cops,” neighbor Cheyanne McCullough said. “I have a couple who are military police, so it hits pretty hard.” The officer and Cotter were airlifted to a hospital. The officer, whose name was not released, was stabilized but was in critical condition. Cotter was also last reported to be in critical condition. The 19th Judicial Critical Incident Response Team is handling the investigation.