Man dies after being shot by Denver police in Northeast Park Hill
A man who was shot by police Friday in the Northeast Park Hill neighborhood has died from his injuries, the Denver Police Department announced Monday.
The man has been identified as 31-year-old Colton Wagner by the Office of the Medical Examiner.
Police were dispatched to the 3800 block of Olive Street just before 5:30 p.m. Friday after reports “of an individual circling the park, firing shots out of a vehicle,” said Denver Chief Ron Thomas during a press conference.
Thomas said the park was “full of people” while the suspect was firing the shots.
Responding officers found the man armed with a handgun and commanded him to drop the weapon, but he instead allegedly threatened the officers with the weapon. Multiple officers then fired their weapons, Thomas said.
The man fell to the ground and was transported to Denver Health Medical Center, where he died days later. No officers or bystanders were injured during the incident.
The police department has activated its critical incident, officer involved shooting protocol team, which will initiate a multi-agency investigation into the shooting.
This is the seventh officer-involved shooting in the Denver-metro since the beginning of May. Five of those shooting have been fatal.
The first shooting happened on May 8 when a Denver officer was shot in the leg by a man allegedly trespassing on someone’s porch. The officer survived the shooting, while the man was later found and arrested.
On May 14, multiple officers fatally shot an armed man after a car chase. Police said the man was threatening officers after they were called on reports that the man was firing a gun in the air at a playground.
Several days later, members of the Englewood Police Department fatally shot 22-year-old Caleb Jereme Grisenti after he injured three officers by dragging them with a stolen vehicle.
On May 19, 52-year-old Raul Rosas-Zarsosa was shot five times by a Denver police officer while approaching her and her partner with a utility knife.
Another shooting happened on May 30 when two Denver officers fatally shot 29-year-old Shannon Wright because he allegedly threatened the officers, and previously threatened a liquor store clerk, with an assault rifle.
Most recently, on Wednesday, a man was shot multiple times by Arvada police officers after going on a crime spree that included an armed robbery at Target, holding a woman at gunpoint, stealing a car and firing at officers.





