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Man accused of shooting 2 Denver police officers died by suicide, medical examiner says

One officer released from hospital Thursday
joseph quintana mug shot.jpg
Posted at 10:02 AM, Jan 31, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-31 14:35:12-05

DENVER – The man accused of shooting two Denver police officers near 6th Avenue and Inca Street died by suicide, the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner said Thursday.

The OME earlier this week identified the man as 35-year-old Joseph Patrick Quintana but at the time said it was still determining the cause and manner of his death. On Thursday morning, the OME said his cause of death was a gunshot wound and the manner was found to be suicide.

Police say Quintana shot two officers who responded to a shots-fired call Sunday afternoon – one in the abdomen and one in the leg – and then barricaded himself inside a home.

After a standoff that lasted all afternoon, flames and smoke started coming out of the building and police were seen taking Quintana out of the home and loading him into an ambulance.

It was unclear at the time how Quintana had been injured. He was pronounced dead at Denver Health Medical Center on Monday.

On Wednesday, Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen identified the two officers who were injured in the shooting as Richard Jaramillo and Steve Gameroz. On Thursday, both were still listed in fair condition at Denver Health, and Pazen said both were “expected to make a full recovery.”

But Jaramillo was released from the hospital at noon Thursday, with a host of his fellow officers there to greet him.

In a letter to DPD officers, Pazen said he was proud of both officers and thanked all the law enforcement officers involved in Sunday’s incident.

“These types of incidents are a reminder of how dangerous this job is and how thankful we are for the women and men who are willing to place themselves in harm’s way to keep others safe,” Pazen wrote in the letter, which was obtained by Denver7. “I’m so proud of the courage displayed by Rich, Steve and the other officers on scene. I would like to thank the Metro/SWAT team for addressing this armed suspect multiple times as well as working to put out a fire that could have caused even more damage to the community. I’m also very appreciative of all the officers, investigators, paramedics and firefighters who provided assistance on scene, at the hospital and Headquarters – Thank You!”

Quintana had at least two felony convictions — for assault and felony menacing with a weapon — and was prohibited from possessing firearms. According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, he had a history of violence and had been arrested previously for felony menacing with a weapon, resisting arrest, obstructing police, assault, domestic violence, kidnapping, child abuse, burglary, DUI, driving with a restrained license and driving without a license.