MESA COUNTY, Colo. — The man who was killed in a police shooting near Grand Junction on Tuesday evening has been identified.
On Thursday morning, the Mesa County Coroner's Office said the man was identified as 51-year-old Steven Alire. The coroner's office said the cause of death was gunshot wounds on his torso. The manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Because this is an ongoing investigation, the coroner's office and authorities are not releasing any other new information.
The shooting occurred Tuesday evening after police responded to a report of felony menacing in in Orchard Mesa, which is an unincorporated community in Mesa County just south of Grand Junction.
Police identified a possible suspect, who was inside a home, and attempted to contact him but were not successful, police said.
At one point, the man, who was later identified as Alire, left the home with what appeared to be a firearm, but did not comply with orders from officers and “ultimately, was shot by law enforcement on scene,” police said. It’s not clear what caused police to open fire.
No officers were injured.
Alire was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
The officers who opened fire were placed on administrative leave, which is standard protocol. The 21st Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team is investigating this officer-involved shooting.
Anybody who witnessed this shooting or has security cameras that may have captured it is asked to call the Colorado Bureau of Investigation at 970-248-7499.
