Editor’s Note: This incident, which occurred on July 5, is being posted by Police1 after the release of body camera footage on July 14.
By Lauren Penington
The Denver Post
DENVER — A man was shot and injured by Denver police responding to a harassment call on Sunday, according to the department.
Two Denver officers responded to reports of an armed man harassing and threatening people near East 51st Avenue and Washington Street at about 11:40 a.m. Sunday, Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said in a news conference.
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“This is actually a recurring incident in this area involving the same individual,” Thomas said.
Police have previously received reports of a person believed to be the same man harassing people in the area, sometimes armed, but officers had not spotted or contacted him until Sunday, Thomas said. He described the knife as a long, kitchen-style cutting knife about 12 inches long.
When officers arrived, just minutes later, they spotted the man with a knife in his hand, Thomas said. The two officers gave the man commands to drop the knife, but he took off running, Thomas said. The officers followed, giving the man repeated commands to stop and to drop the weapon, he said.
The man stopped once, but fled again from the officers, Thomas said. As the group approached the intersection of East 50th Avenue and Washington Street, the man turned toward the officers and one of them fired, striking the man several times.
Police have not publicly identified the involved officer or the man who was shot. The shooting happened at about noon, Thomas said.
Paramedics took the man to the hospital, but an update on his condition was not immediately available Sunday afternoon.
No officers were injured, according to the police department.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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