Lakewood Police officer killed in RTD bus shootout, three colleagues wounded
One police officer was fatally shot and three others wounded in Lakewood, Colorado, after a suspect opened fire near an RTD bus. The suspect was also killed.
Officer shot dead during confrontation at Colfax and Wadsworth bus stop
A Lakewood Police officer was killed and three colleagues wounded on Thursday evening after a suspect opened fire on officers who approached him as he attempted to board a Regional Transportation District bus, abcnews.com reports.
The incident took place at around 6:30 p.m. local time near the intersection of Colfax and Wadsworth in Lakewood, Colorado, approximately five miles west of downtown Denver. A civilian was also injured, though the circumstances surrounding that injury remain unclear.
John Romero, public information officer with the Lakewood Police Department, told reporters at a press conference that officers had initially been called to the area following a report of a "suspicious person" who may have been involved in a hit-and-run earlier that day.
"Within seconds of agents approaching the suspect, the suspect opened fire on our agents. A gunfight ensued," Romero said.
The suspect was killed during the exchange of fire. All four officers were transported to area hospitals, where one later died. Romero said he did not have information on the conditions of the three surviving wounded officers. The identities of the officers and the suspect have not been released.
The Jefferson County Critical Incident Response Team will lead the investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
Romero addressed the fallen officer's family directly: "We just want the family to know that we love them, that we're here for them, and Lakewood Police Department is a family, and we will be here for each other."
RTD, the regional transportation service, issued a statement saying it was "deeply concerned by the shooting that occurred this evening aboard an RTD-contracted operated bus servicing Route 76 in Lakewood," adding that the safety and well-being of customers, employees and partners remained its highest priority.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis also responded, posting on social media: "Law enforcement put their lives on the line for our safety everyday and I am heartbroken to learn that a Lakewood Police Agent was killed in the line of duty this evening."
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)