DENVER — The suspect in the shooting of a Denver police officer over the weekend has been taken into custody, and he appeared in court on Monday morning.
Pedro Juan Gallegos, 40, had his bond set at $100,000, cash only, by Judge Tanya Wheeler during an advisement hearing.
Gallegos faces charges of attempted murder, possession of a weapon by a previous offender and criminal trespassing.
The officer, whose name has not been released yet, was shot in the leg after responding to a home near Alcott Street and W. 42nd Avenue. A prosecutor in court Monday said Gallegos is accused of firing a shotgun, wounding the officer.
Officers were responding to the home about a report of a person on a porch who wasn't supposed to be there. Police Commander Matt Clark said the responding officers were "suddenly" fired upon by a suspect on a patio area at the home. The one officer was struck, and another officer discharged multiple rounds at the suspect, Clark said.
The officer who was shot was taken to Denver Health Medical Center in critical condition. Police said Sunday afternoon that the officer was out of surgery and was in "stable condition."
Clark on Monday said the officer sustained "significant" injuries to his legs and pelvis area.
Clark said police found a sawed-off shotgun near the scene of the shooting and that they believe that was the gun used in the shooting of the officer. Clark said a tourniquet used on the officer by another officer was "critical" in initially treating the officer.
Police were still searching later Sunday for the suspect, and Gallegos' arrest wasn't confirmed until he appeared in court Monday morning, via video chat from the Denver jail.
Gallegos' attorney argued that Gallegos' past arrests did not involve violent incidents and that he has a job lined up and a place to stay with family. Gallegos said he would "comply with everything," if given a chance to post bond and be released from jail.
But Wheeler, the judge, called the allegations "incredibly aggravated circumstances" and opted for the bond amount that was requested by prosecutors.
Gallegos shook his head when Judge Wheeler announced the $100,000 bond and asked if GPS monitoring might be a possibility. When the judge wished Gallegos luck, he thanked her and said, "I'm going to need it."
