A Wheat Ridge Police officer shot and killed a suspect wanted on a felony warrant on Thursday afternoon, the law enforcement agency said.
The agency did not name the officer or the suspect.
Shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday, a Wheat Ridge Police officer patrolling Youngfield Street and West 32nd Avenue recognized a suspect with a felony warrant, the agency said. Alex Rose, spokesperson for the Wheat Ridge Police Department, said the nature of the warrant was part of the investigation and could not be released at this time.
When the officer pulled up behind the suspect, the suspect ran west beneath the Interstate 70 underpass along West 32nd Avenue, Wheat Ridge Police said.
The officer chased the suspect on foot and “a struggle ensued,” police said. The agency did not provide further information about the altercation.
The police officer shot the suspect, who was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead, police said.
The First Judicial District Attorney’s Office is investigating the shooting. The police officer was placed on paid administrative leave, per agency policy, and the agency has launched an internal investigation to determine whether the use of force was a policy violation, Rose said.
“To preserve the integrity of the investigation, no further public comment is available at this time,” police wrote.
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