Assault suspect found dead after shooting at police in western Colorado, sheriff's office says

Police in western Colorado found a suspect dead after they allegedly shot at police. That person has not yet been identified but is allegedly connected to a previous assault.

The shooting happened Sunday night in the 400 block of 28 Road in Grand Junction. The Mesa County Sheriff's Office said on Monday that Grand Junction police officers were called by hospital staff after someone taken to a local emergency room with life-threatening injuries said they were assaulted.

Officers then responded to that home on 28 Road and when they arrived, the person inside refused to come out and fired a gun at officers, the sheriff's office said. One Grand Junction police officer shot back.

City and county SWAT teams arrived and officers were unable to contact the person inside over the course of several hours, according to the sheriff's office. When SWAT officers went into the home, the sheriff's office said the suspect was already dead. 

Investigators did not say if the person was shot -- either by police or by themselves -- but now the 21st Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team is investigating the shooting and the officer who fired their gun is on paid administrative leave.

The coroner's office will identify the suspect and the cause and manner of death once an autopsy has been completed.