Colorado road rage victim shot in the head on Highway 285 in critical but stable condition; police seek suspect

An apparent road rage shooting in Colorado's foothills has now turned into a fight for the victim's life and a search for a suspect or suspects.

The shooting happened around 7 p.m. on Tuesday on Highway 285 near Sourdough Drive between Conifer and Indian Hills, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. Deputies initially responded to reports of a single-car crash of a black SUV, but arrived to find a passenger with a gunshot wound to the head.

The passenger was taken to the hospital for emergency surgery and was in "critical but stable condition" as of Wednesday morning, according to the sheriff's office.

Witnesses later told investigators that they believed it was a road-rage incident, and the shots were fired from a light-colored Subaru traveling in the same direction as the SUV. No other information about the suspect or their vehicle was immediately available.

The sheriff's office is asking anyone who witnessed the shooting or may have dashboard camera footage that captured the event or its lead-up to contact them at 303-271-5612 or email them at jcsocrimetips@jeffco.us.