The Denver Coroner has identified a man suspected of bank robbery who was shot to death by a police officer as he fled the robbery scene.
John Bazemore III, 25, was pronounced dead at Denver Health Medical Center on Friday following the shooting in an alley between Welton and California Streets.
The robbery happened at 1 p.m. Friday at the ANB Bank on the 16th Street Mall.
Chelsea Wood, 28, was walking east on the mall in front of the Ink Coffee shop when she saw a heavily bundled man walk casually out of the ANB Bank. He was wearing a gray ski mask over his face, a light hoodie, a winter coat and jeans, she said.
The man turned left onto the sidewalk and came right toward Wood in no particular hurry.
Just then two men ran out of the bank and screamed, “We’ve been robbed!”
The man turned into an alley, and a Denver police officer who had just arrived on his shift, pursued him.
The officer ran down the alley, yelling orders for the suspected robber to stop. The officer fired several shots, striking the suspect. Police later recovered a gun where the alleged bank robber fell near trash bins. There was also evidence from the bank robbery, Police Chief Robert White said.
The officer who shot the alleged bank robber has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation, White said. The officer was not injured in the confrontation.
ALERT: Officer-involved shooting in 1500 block of Welton St. One party transported to hospital; condition unknown. No officers injured. PIO responding to scene. pic.twitter.com/OYQWizCfGT
— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) November 10, 2017
