FBI Officer Shot During 'Longhorn' Bandit Barricade
LITTLETON, Colo. (CBS4)- An FBI officer was shot and rushed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries on Friday evening. The suspect authorities were trying to apprehend at the time then shot and killed himself.
The FBI SWAT team member was shot in the calf. The agent has not been identified. The shooting happened while authorities were attempting to arrest a bank robbery suspect.
"When they made entry into the room shots were fired and an FBI agent was shot in the leg, a non-life threatening injury,' said Littleton Police Lt. Trent Cooper.
The agent was rushed to Swedish Medical Center for treatment.
The suspect fired two shots from the Essex House Motel at law enforcement agents, who did not fire back. The suspect remained barricaded inside the room while officers tried to establish communication.
As FBI SWAT officers moved in on the room with weapons drawn, there was no resistance. The suspect had shot himself in the room.
"The agents and task force officers cleared the hotel room and the subject was found deceased," said FBI Special Agent Michael Rankin.
The bank robbery suspect was wanted in a series of bank robberies in the Denver metro area.
The FBI confirms the suspect was the Longhorn bandit. The nickname comes from the hat he usually wore -- a Texas Longhorns hat-- while robbing banks. He typically gave the teller a note demanding money and then ran away with the cash.
The FBI said the suspect had robbed six banks since February, and had attempted to rob two others.
Residents told CBS4 what they heard during the standoff.
"All I heard was, bang, bang, bang, and that's what woke me up," said Essex resident Ron Perez. "I stayed in my room."
The police activity at the motel in the 2200 block of West Berry near Santa Fe Drive in Littleton resulted in a traffic backup during the afternoon drive.
There were several roads closed in the area including both directions of Santa Fe, and nearby Prince Street about 5 p.m. Friday. The roads were closed until 8 p.m. during the standoff and investigation.
Traffic was rerouted off Santa Fe at Belleview.
Witnesses said the businesses surrounding the Essex Hotel were evacuated during the police activity. The Arapahoe County offices are located off Prince Street near where the standoff was happening.