Denver man arrested in connection to shooting of police officer
Pedro Juan Gallegos has been arrested in connection to the shooting of a Denver police officer late Saturday night, the Denver Police Department said Monday.
Gallegos, 40 and a Denver resident, is being held on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder, possession of a weapon by a previous offender and first-degree criminal trespass.
Division Chief Ron Thomas previously said the shooting happened just before 11 p.m. near West 42nd Avenue and North Alcott Street. Officers were responding to the 4200 block of Alcott on reports that an unknown person was on someone’s porch.
As officers approached, the suspect fired at them, striking one officer in the leg. Thomas said he did not know if the officers made contact with or spoke to the suspect before the shooting.
In a news conference Monday, Major Crimes Division Commander Matt Clark said an officer returned fire on the suspect, but did not hit him.
An ambulance took the officer to Denver Health Medical Center where he underwent emergency surgery for several hours. On Sunday afternoon, police said the officer was out of surgery and is in stable condition.
Clark said police on the scene applied a tourniquet to the injured officer’s leg.
Denver police officer shot in Sunnyside neighborhood; suspect at-large
The identity of the wounded officer has not been released. Thomas said the officer has been on the force for about five years.
While “it’s difficult that we can’t be there in the hospital … a lot of thoughts and prayers [and] communication with the family,” Clark said. “The department does a great job of outreach and making sure that all their needs are taken care of during this time.”
After the shooting, the suspect escaped, prompting a several-blocks lockdown while officers searched in yards using K-9s. Police from multiple jurisdictions participated in the search, including Arvada and Adams County.
During the lockdown, Gallegos was stopped by officers about 70 minutes after the shooting while trying to ride out of the area on a bicycle. Gallegos matched the description of the shooter from witnesses, Clark said.
Police found that Gallegos had two active arrest warrants from other counties and detained him, Clark said. After they had probable cause, police issued a warrant for Gallegos in connection with the shooting.
Clark said he could not speak to the details of the Gallegos’ other warrants because they are outside Denver.
Clark said police also found a sawed-off shotgun in a bush during the search, which they believe was the gun used to shoot the officer.
Police detained Gallegos and one other person during the search, but later released the second person. Police are not looking for any other suspects at this time.






