Denver police continued to investigate Sunday after officers shot a carjacking suspect Saturday night when he pulled a gun, police said.
The incident in the Park Hill neighborhood ended with the suspect in critical condition and two others in custody.
A Denver officer in an unmarked car spotted the black 2008 Infiniti G37 about 7:10 p.m. in the area of East 28th Avenue and Forest Street, police said. The officer requested a license plate check that confirmed the car had been stolen earlier Saturday in Aurora.
The officer called for uniformed police assistance, circled the block and pulled into the north end of the alley. The undercover officer watched as the stolen vehicle began backing down the alley while a marked police car pulled into the south end of the alley, stopping behind the stolen vehicle, police said in a release.
The stolen vehicle backed into the unmarked car, and three suspects got out. One, who was on the passenger side, pulled a handgun and began raising it as he left the vehicle, police said.
“Two officers, feeling threatened for their lives and the lives of others, discharged their firearms striking the suspect, who then fled to the north end of the alley where he was taken into custody,” the police release said.
The suspect was transported to a hospital and was in critical but stable condition and is expected to survive. A handgun was recovered at the scene.
The other suspects also left the scene but were taken into custody a short time later.
The two officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure, pending further investigation and official review of the incident.
