Man Armed With Rifle Shot By Denver Police After Liquor Store Confrontation
DENVER (CBS4) - Denver police were involved in a shooting on Sunday afternoon near Alameda Avenue between Lipan and Pecos Streets, after someone reported a man armed with an assault rifle at a liquor store.
"I saw red tape around my tow truck and I just saw all the cops around," Joshua Vleek said. Vleek runs a business on Cedar Avenue.
Vleek stepped out to see the Denver Police investigation unfolding. Several blocks near Alameda, Pecos, and Navajo were blocked off.
"A caller phoned in to dispatch that there was a man to a liquor store at the 1300 block of West Alameda armed with an assault rifle," Denver Police Division Chief said.
Officers responded to the Great American Beer Store on Alameda. They found the suspect walking not far away, northwest, a few blocks.
"They stopped their vehicle from a safe distance from this individual, got out and began issuing this individual commands," Thomas told reporters.
But, he said the man ignored those commands.
"[The man] began advancing towards officers and ultimately threatened that officer with that assault weapon. The officers discharged their weapons," Thomas explained.
The suspect, who police only identified as a Black man, was taken to Denver Health Medical Center. He later died Sunday afternoon. The officers were not injured, but a critical incident protocol was initiated along with the investigation.
"It kind of really makes you think about the area but we're still gonna ya know, push on," Vleek added.
Streets were closed for the investigation and people were asked to avoid the area.
Police say they will review police body camera video and any possible surveillance video in the area.
Denver police were involved in another shooting in which a man with a knife died near Federal Boulevard and Yale Avenue nearly two weeks ago. Two days prior to that shooting, Denver police shot and killed a carjacking suspect near 1st Avenue and Perry Street.