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Road rage suspect shot by Denver police following hostage incident

Photo Credit: MattGush (iStock).

Denver police shot and wounded a man after a road rage incident that led to a hostage situation Friday evening.

Officers responded to a call around 5:30 p.m. Friday in the area of Interstate 25 and Colfax. The caller had reported that someone in a truck had shot at his vehicle while driving. The caller then followed the truck to the area of 47th Avenue and Josephine Street, where an occupant continued to shoot at him, according to a press conference by Denver Police Department Chief Ron Thomas.

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Once in the area, officers found the truck parked and abandoned. Police began surveillance, waiting to see if the suspect would come back. At 11 p.m., multiple people exited a nearby house, got into the truck and drove off, according to police. 

Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the passengers began shooting at the police car. Eventually — through “forced stop methods” — the police were able to cause the truck to crash in the 3500 block of York Street.

Police approached the vehicle and ordered the passengers to surrender.

“There were several minutes of negotiation,” Thomas said. “At some point, a male did emerge from a vehicle apparently holding a female hostage. Officers believed that he had a gun and was threatening to kill the individual.” 

After negotiation, the man refused to let go of the woman. One officer fired a single shot and hit the man. Both the man and the hostage went down, but the man didn’t lose control of her, according to police.

Negotiations continued until they were able to “secure both individuals safely,” Thomas said. Both were transported to a nearby hospital. The man is considered stable with a gunshot wound and the woman was cut from being dragged out of the crashed car, according to police.

Two other passengers were transported to the hospital for injuries from the crash. 

The police have not clarified if the suspect had a gun or weapon.

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“We believed that the victim, the person we believe was being held hostage, to be in significant danger,” Thomas said. “We believe that he had a weapon, that he was threatening to kill this individual, that was communication that was coming from the suspect, so we believed it was urgent to act in that moment.”

There are no more suspects at large in the shooting and prior road rage shooting, Thomas said. Investigators will look into the current four individuals from the vehicle and determine their involvement. 

DPD will continue to investigate. Colorado State Patrol and Colorado Bureau of Investigation will also investigate under an independent monitor.

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