A man who authorities say shot at Denver police officers while trying to rob a southwest Denver Vietnamese restaurant has been formally charged with assaulting the officers in addition to other criminal counts, the Denver District Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
Phuong Dang, 26, will face two counts of first-degree assault on a police officer, a count of first-degree assault, 12 counts of menacing, one count of attempted aggravated robbery and two counts of possession of a weapon by a previous criminal offender.
The charges allege that on Nov. 14, Dang, a reputed gang member who had previously done prison time for shooting someone in the back, entered a Vietnamese restaurant at 1036 S. Federal Boulevard allegedly armed with a shotgun.
Undercover Denver police officers, Sgt. John Pinder and Detective Jesse Avendano, exchanged gunfire and shot Dang, according to an arrest warrant.
Dang has been released from the hospital and remains in custody in the Denver County Jail. He is scheduled for both his first and second advisement this morning in Denver County Court.
Manny Gonzales: 303-954-1537 or mgonzales@denverpost.com.
