COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – An armed man who reportedly led law enforcement on a short foot chase in northeast Commerce City died at a hospital after he was hit “multiple times” in an exchange of gunfire Wednesday morning.
At around 11:17 a.m., officers responded to the area of Poplar Street between E. 70 Avenue and E. 72 Avenue after receiving an alert of shots fired in the area.
A task force involving the Denver Police Department and the Colorado Department of Corrections was searching for a man suspected of a violent crime at the time and found him in a parking lot outside the Highland Legends Apartments before they tried to make contact, according to Commerce City Police Chief Clint Nichols.
A preliminary investigation into the shooting shows a short foot chase ensued when the task force contacted the man, which led to an exchange of gunfire between the man and the task force, Nichols said.
The man, only described as Hispanic, was “hit multiple times” by police and was pronounced dead at University Hospital just after noon Wednesday. No officers were injured.
No other information about the officer-involved shooting, including how many shots were fired or how many officers fired at the suspect, as well as what the man was wanted for, was immediately released.
Denver Police, Commerce City Police and the Department of Corrections Fugitive Apprehension Team responded to the call of shots fired.
The 17th Judicial District will be handling the investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
The public is asked to avoid the area where the shooting took place for now due to a heavy police presence.
