AURORA, Colo. — A man was fatally shot by police after firing at officers during an armed standoff at a gas station in Aurora, the Denver Gazette reported.
One officer and two store clerks were injured in the Oct. 27 incident, according to the report.
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According to police, the suspect entered the gas station and became agitated when the clerks did not have his preferred brand of cigarettes. He then displayed a firearm and ordered employees to lock the doors, turn off the lights and call police.
When five officers arrived, they heard a gunshot from inside and forced entry through a glass door.
“Where’s he at?” the officers can be heard asking the clerks.
As they moved toward the clerks, the suspect fired several rounds from behind a store shelf, striking one officer in the leg.
Four officers returned fire, discharging a total of 57 rounds and striking the suspect multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A Springfield Armory 9mm Hellcat pistol was recovered near him.
Both clerks sustained minor injuries believed to be caused by shrapnel. One was hit in the foot and the other in the leg. Authorities believe the injuries were the result of a ricochet or debris from an officer’s round, though ballistic testing is still underway.
Aurora Police Chief Art Acevedo said officers were firing downward and did not believe the clerks were in the line of fire. He emphasized that the rapidly evolving situation left little time to direct store employees to safety.
The incident is under investigation by the Denver District Attorney’s Office’s Critical Incident Response Team, which reviews all officer-involved shootings, according to the report. The Aurora Police Department will conduct an internal investigation once the external review is complete.
