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Man shot and killed at on-ramp to I-25 in Trinidad after fleeing officers, CBI says

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Posted at 1:47 PM, May 20, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-20 15:47:15-04

TRINIDAD, Colo. – One man was shot and killed Sunday night by law enforcement authorities in southern Colorado.

Lawrence Lee Lovato, 46, died in the shooting on the northbound on-ramp to Interstate 25 from Main Street in Trinidad, which happened just after 8 p.m. Sunday.

According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, which was investigating the police shooting, Trinidad officers were called to the Alta Convenience Store on State Street on a call of a suspicious person.

They found Lovato there, and as they tried to speak with him, he got into his pickup truck and drove off, according to CBI.

He “attempted to elude” the officers and a Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office deputy while driving erratically, CBI said, before authorities brought his truck to a stop on the on-ramp onto I-25.

There, CBI says, Lovato pulled out a handgun, after which officers fired at him. Lovato was hit and died at the scene, CBI said. No officers were injured.

CBI says that three Trinidad officers and one LACSO deputy have been placed on standard administrative leave while CBI investigates.

The shooting was the 30th police shooting in Colorado so far this year.