GOLDEN, Colo. (KDVR) — Police have identified and arrested a man accused of shooting and killing a K-9 officer on the Colorado School of Mines campus.
Eduardo Armando Romero, 29, was booked Monday on 13 counts, including felony animal cruelty, according to a release from the Golden Police Department. Police accuse him of being under the influence during the incident.
Police said officers with the school and Golden encountered a driver, later identified as Romero, “slumped over the steering wheel” of a vehicle on campus just before 12:15 a.m.
According to the police account of the incident, Romero “proceeded to ram two patrol cars before running from officers to evade arrest.” When officers began to chase him, police said Romero “turned and pointed a handgun in the officers’ direction.”
‘Single gunshot’ kills K-9 officer
K-9 Graffit and his handler, with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, were tracking Romero when the dog “went on alert,” according to the release. The search continued “when a single gunshot was fired” by Romero, killing Graffit.
A sheriff’s deputy returned fire, but Romero was not hit.
Romero was arrested shortly after, and “the handgun was recovered as well,” according to the release. He was cleared by hospital personnel and booked into the Jefferson County jail.
Romero faces six felony counts: menacing, aggravated animal cruelty, criminal mischief, two counts of motor vehicle theft and eluding. He faces five misdemeanor counts: prohibited use of a weapon, criminal mischief, criminal impersonation, resisting arrest and obstruction.
He also faces two traffic misdemeanors of driving under restraint and driving under the influence.