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Medical examiner identifies man shot and killed by Denver police near 10th and Lincoln

Posted at 3:20 PM, Jul 08, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-08 17:20:54-04

DENVER – The office of the medical examiner on Monday identified the person shot and killed by a Denver police officer a week ago near 10th Ave. and Lincoln Street as a 22-year-old man.

The medical examiner identified the man as Christopher Barela, 22, and said he died of gunshot wounds.

Police said last week that Barela had caused a disturbance aboard an RTD bus around 7 a.m. last Monday – minutes before the shooting and had been asked to get off the bus. He broke out the bus’s windshield before leaving, and a transit officer confronted him near 7th and Lincoln shortly afterward.

That’s when Barela pulled out a gun, according to police. Shortly afterward, a Denver police officer confronted Barela and he allegedly fired a shot in to the air.

When he allegedly leveled his weapon at the officer, the officer shot and killed Barela, DPD Division Chief Joe Montoya said.

The shooting left Lincoln Street – among the busiest near downtown Denver – closed for much of the day.