One Lakewood, Colorado, police officer was killed and three others were wounded in a gunfight with a suspect on Thursday night. The suspect was also killed in the gunfire, according to John Romero, public information officer for the Lakewood Police Department.
A civilian was also injured during the incident, though the circumstances remain unclear, Romero stated at a press conference. The identities of the victims and the suspect have not been released.
Officers responded to the area of Colfax and Wadsworth, west of downtown Denver, around 6:30 p.m. local time following a report of a "suspicious person" who may have been involved in a hit-and-run earlier in the day. When officers approached the suspect, he was attempting to board a Regional Transportation District bus and opened fire, Romero said. A gunfight ensued.
All four wounded officers were transported to area hospitals, where one succumbed to his injuries. Romero did not provide the conditions of the three other injured officers.
The Jefferson County Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the officer-involved shooting. "Right now, our main concern is the family of our fallen agent and our agents here at the Lakewood Police Department," Romero said. "Lakewood Police Department is a family, and we will be here for each other."
In a statement, the RTD transportation service expressed concern about the shooting, which occurred on an RTD-contracted bus servicing Route 76. "The safety and well-being of our customers, employees and partners remain our highest priority," the statement read.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis shared his condolences on social media, stating, "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."