Suspect Shot, Killed After Dragging, Running Over Officer With Car

WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4)- Police in Westminster shot and killed a suspect after the suspect dragged an officer and ran over him with a car.

"It was definitely a life-threatening situation," said Westminster Police spokeswoman Kate Kazell.

The incident started about 4:30 p.m. Thursday at 86th and Sheridan when officers attempted to arrest the suspect who was wanted on multiple felony warrants.

"He had some sort of remote control start to his car so he and an officer got into a struggle at the driver's side door. He was able to turn the car on and then get the car into drive," said Kazell.

The suspect sped away in his car and ran over the officer.

That's when Kazell said other officers opened fire and killed the suspect as he crashed into a dumpster behind a restaurant in a strip mall.

"The reason it did turn into a deadly force situation is because he was dragging the officer with the car," said Kazell. "The car is a weapon at that point."

Witnesses say the suspect wasn't stopping for anyone.

"They did what they had to do. This gentleman, he could have run over some people. He was hitting trees, cars, signs," said Lorenzo Roybal.

Roybal was at work at Harbor Freight when he heard multiple gunshots coming from the parking lot outside.

"You could just hear gunfire and you didn't know if it was going both ways or just one way. You couldn't tell," said Roybal.

The officer was rushed to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The suspect has not been identified but police did tell CBS4 that he has a lengthy criminal history and was wanted for a number of charges including assault, drugs and domestic abuse.

A special investigations team from Adams County has started reviewing the shooting.

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