Westminster police discovered that two occupants of an SUV that slammed into the lower level of an apartment building had been shot, one fatally, early Friday morning.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash at Park Place Apartments on the 9200 block of Federal Boulevard.
Police received the call about the crash at 12:01 a.m.
“It first came in as an accident,” said Cheri Spottke, Westminster police spokeswoman.
A police officer was about 5 seconds away from the crash, Spottke said.
When the officer arrived, he quickly realized that a shooting led to a crash. The driver and passenger both suffered gunshot wounds, Spottke said. Police are withholding the genders of the victims for the protection of the passenger but also for investigative purposes, she said.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene while the passenger was rushed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, she said.
The officer who arrived first did not see any suspects fleeing the scene. There have been conflicting stories though, including how many shooters were involved.
“It’s one big mess we’ve got to sort out. We had some witnesses who were there when it happened and we’ve spoken to them,” Spottke said. “There is a lot of emotion and trauma and people who are very scared.”
Witnesses have not yet identified the shooters, she said. “We don’t know if they truly know who it is,” Spottke said.
Spottke said police do not believe there is any danger to the public and say officer believe neither the victims nor suspects live at the apartment complex.
No one inside the apartment was injured.
