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BWC: Man takes gas station clerks hostage, shoots Colo. officer in leg before fatal OIS

After becoming agitated when the gas station did not have his cigarettes, the man displayed a firearm and ordered employees to lock the doors, turn off the lights and call 911

CORRECTION: A previous version of the story reported that the Aurora Police Department was involved in this critical incident. The Denver Police Department is the agency involved.

DENVER, Colo. — A man was fatally shot by police after firing at officers during an armed standoff at a gas station in Denver, the Denver Post 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.

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.

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Joanna Putman is an Associate Editor and newswriter at Police1, where she has been covering law enforcement topics since August 2023. Based in Orlando, Florida, she holds a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent two years working in nonprofit local newsrooms, gaining experience in community-focused reporting. Married to a law enforcement officer, she works hard to highlight the challenges and triumphs of those who serve and protect. Have a news tip? Email her at news@lexipol.com