Holly MatkinDenver, CO – A Denver police officer was shot in the chest while responding to a report of gunfire in the Northeast Park Hill neighborhood on Wednesday night.
The attack was the second shooting of a Denver police officer in less than 24 hours.
The first hero was a veteran Denver police officer who was ambushed and shot multiple times as he was sitting in his patrol car outside a Denver hotel early on Wednesday morning.
The second incident began at approximately 7:28 p.m. on June 7, when the Denver Police Department (DPD) was notified about a ShotSpotter alert in the area of Cherry Street and MLK Boulevard, KMGH reported.
Two Denver police officers arrived in the area within moments of the alert, according to DPD Division Chief Rick Kyle.
A witness provided the officers with a description of the alleged shooter and police quickly located a man who matched that description, Chief Kyle told KMGH.
Police said the suspect sped away from them on a scooter before jumping off and fleeing on foot.
The officers chased after him and soon got into a confrontation that ended in an exchange of gunfire, KMGH reported.
Chief Kyle said one officer was shot in the chest during the gun battle.
The armed suspect was also hit by gunfire, KMGH reported.
The suspect and the wounded officer were both rushed to a local hospital.
The suspect was hospitalized in critical condition, The Denver Gazette reported.
His identity was not immediately released.
Doctors determined the officer’s injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, The Denver Gazette reported.
Chief Kyle said the officer was wearing his ballistic vest, which likely protected him from more severe injuries, according to KMGH.
The wounded hero has been with the DPD since 2017.
The Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and DPD homicide investigators are handling the ongoing investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
A motive has not been released.
🚨 OFFICER DOWN: Please pray for a second Denver Police Officer today who was shot in the line of duty in a separate incident.
The blatant, out-of-control violence against the men and women of law enforcement continues to surge across the country. An attack on them is a direct… https://t.co/rfQhb9nAW0 pic.twitter.com/9LR9Dv0Ob8
— National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) (@GLFOP) June 8, 2023
This is a developing story and we will keep you updated. For all of our updates, follow us on Facebook and go to your news feed preferences under your settings, then select that you want to see more of The Police Tribune’s posts in your news feed. Otherwise, Facebook may not show you updates.
