WATCH DPTV: Molly Hughes with today’s top stories
Denver police shot and wounded two people in Commerce City late Thursday after the pair tried to flee in a vehicle, striking a police cruiser.
Officers first spotted the two near Interstate 70 and Havana Street about 11 p.m. when police tried to stop the driver on suspicion of driving under the influence and eluding. When the vehicle didn’t stop, officers didn’t pursue, police said.
Officers found the vehicle a short time later parked between two semi-trailers near the intersection of East 56th Avenue and Holly Street in Commerce City. When officers approached the vehicle on foot, the driver tried to flee and shots were fired.
Both occupants were taken to a hospital with what are thought to be non-life-threatening injuries, police say.
Commerce City police Detective Michael Saunders said investigators are working to determine whether the suspects were armed, adding that he could not speak further on the case.
Police in Commerce City are investigating the “criminal behavior” of the two people shot while the Adams County Critical Incident Team is investigating the shooting.
“As with any officer-involved shooting, there will be an internal review to make sure it was done within police,” said Denver police Detective Mary McIver.
McIver said one of the officers involved has been placed on “non-line assignment” and referred questions about the external investigation into the incident to Commerce City police and the critical incident team.
The shooting happened in an industrial area just outside of Denver.
