JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — At least one Denver Police Department officer was involved in a shooting on Monday, the department said.
DPD tweeted about a shooting involving an officer at 11:55 a.m. and said there is a large police presence in the area of the 3800 block of W. Saratoga Avenue. The department said that is believed to be the area of the initial call.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office tweeted shortly after that there was a “large police presence” in the area of West Bowles Avenue and South Pierce Street which is near Robert F. Clement Park.
DPD tweeted shortly after that the shooting took place at Clement Park.
DPD Chief Ron Thomas said in a news conference Monday afternoon that the pursuit started in Denver around Lowell Boulevard and Saratoga Avenue when officers were informed of the location of an armed individual who had a felony warrant.
“The information that we received was that they had potentially been involved in another crime, not in our city, but we also knew that they were involved, that they were a suspect, had a warrant for a felony crime in Denver,” Thomas said.
Thomas said officers attempted a traffic stop at Bowles Avenue and Pierce Street when the suspect then jumped from the vehicle and appeared to have a weapon in hand.
The pursuit led to Clement Park and that’s where “lethal force was used after attempts at nonlethal force were employed.” The suspect was hit, then officers rendered aid immediately after, and the suspect was taken to the hospital and is in critical condition, Thomas said.
Thomas confirmed the suspect jumped into a car that fled the scene with other occupants. Thomas said it is unknown at this point if the suspect shot at police.
“We did find a weapon at the scene of the shooting,” Thomas said.
Thomas said the investigation is being led by the district attorney’s Critical Incident Response Team.
This is a breaking story. Check for updates.