(June 13) The 17th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) is leading this investigation following a pursuit this afternoon that started in Denver and ended in Aurora. Two Denver Police Officers were hurt and one other man has life-threatening injuries following an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
About 12:05 p.m. today, the Denver Police Department tweeted about a shooting in the 7900 block of East Northfield Boulevard, what we now know is the parking lot of Bass Pro Shops. According to Denver Police, they immediately began investigating the incident and relaying information to officers regarding the suspect and vehicle used in this incident.
About 4:30 p.m., Denver Police Officers spotted this same vehicle in the area or East 46th Avenue and Tower Road. A pursuit of that vehicle went southbound on Tower Road, merged onto eastbound Interstate 70 and finally to southbound Interstate 225. Just south of the East 17th Avenue exit, Denver Police Officers used a "pursuit intervention technique", also known as a PIT maneuver, to disable the suspect’s vehicle.
After the PIT maneuver, multiple different vehicles were struck, but it ultimately stopped the suspect’s ability to continue fleeing. Officers approached the suspect’s vehicle after it crashed and located a man driving the vehicle, and only occupant, suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. There is no evidence at this time to suggest that any police officers fired their weapons. The suspect was transported to the hospital in critical condition where he remains with life-threatening injuries. His name will not be released at this time. In total, seven vehicles were involved in the crash and six people transported to the hospital. Of those six, two were Denver Police Officers.
The Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) for the 17th Judicial District responded and will be investigating this incident. The CIRT Team conducts independent, multi-agency investigations into incidents that occur in Adams and Broomfield Counties. The Aurora Police Department joined the CIRT Teams for both the 17th and 18th Judicial Districts in April of this last year.
The Denver Police Department will continue their investigation into the shooting earlier in the day on Northfield Boulevard.
Agent Matthew Longshore
Public Information Officer
Media Relations Unit
720.432.5095
|