Lakewood officer killed, three wounded in bus shooting on West Colfax
One Lakewood police officer died and three others were wounded after a suspect opened fire on officers approaching an RTD bus. The suspect was shot dead at the scene.
Officer shot dead on RTD bus in Lakewood; suspect also killed
One Lakewood police officer was killed and three others were hospitalised after a suspect opened fire on them at the intersection of West Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard, cbsnews.com reports. A bystander was also injured and taken to hospital.
Lakewood Police Public Information Officer John Romero told reporters at a news conference around 9:30 p.m. that officers had been called to the location following reports of a suspicious person. The suspect was boarding an RTD bus when officers approached him. He opened fire. Officers returned fire, and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
All four officers who were struck were transported to hospital. CommonSpirit St. Anthony Hospital confirmed one patient with non-life-threatening injuries, though it did not specify whether that individual was a police officer. A physician at Denver Health confirmed that one of four patients admitted there was a civilian, not an officer.
Witness Patrick Dickman, who was inside the Easy Pawn shop at the time, told CBS Colorado he heard 13 shots fired. He said officers surrounded the rear of the bus and fired into it, and that he watched approximately five ambulances leave the scene. Another witness reported that a car had rear-ended the RTD bus shortly before the shooting.
RTD issued a statement saying it was "deeply concerned" by the incident aboard a contracted bus operating Route 76. "The safety and well-being of our customers, employees, and partners remain our highest priority," the statement read, adding that RTD personnel cooperated fully with Lakewood Police and that there were no impacts to RTD service.
Police established a large presence at Bannock Street and North Speer Boulevard outside Denver Health, drawing officers from agencies across the Metro Area, and closed down the intersection there.
Governor Jared Polis expressed condolences in a written statement. "Law enforcement put their lives on the line for our safety every day and I am heartbroken to learn that a Lakewood Police Agent was killed in the line of duty this evening," Polis said. He added that his thoughts were with the three officers still receiving care and with the wounded civilian, wishing them "a full and speedy recovery."
Lakewood Police said the investigation remains ongoing and that additional details would be released as they become available.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)