A woman allegedly involved in a motor vehicle theft ring died by suicide after in the hand during a standoff Thursday morning. Two other deputies were also shot, police say.
Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Brighton police officers were trying to serve a search warrant from the Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force when the woman barricaded herself in a converted outbuilding at a home in the 20400 block of East 160th Avenue around 10:40 a.m., Sgt. Adam Sherman said. The woman told deputies that she was holding several hostages and threatened law enforcement officers, the sheriff’s office said in A SWAT team tried to negotiate with the woman, who was said to be “uncooperative,” though multiple people with her exited the building during the incident and were taken to a safe location.
When the SWAT team tried to breach a wall near where the woman was, she , Sherman said. Three deputies were shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries, for which they were treated and later released, according to the sheriff’s office. Several deputies returned fire before falling back. Moments later, police heard gunshots from the woman’s location and saw smoke coming from the building. Brighton Fire Department crewsThe initial investigation shows the woman likely died as a result of suicide, Sherman said. It’s not clear if she was also shot by deputies who returned fire. The coroner’s office will identify her and investigate the cause of her death.
The 17th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the police shooting, and the deputies involved have been placed on administrative leave.
